008 - Lee Jiyeon

"This is the draft regarding your identity. Would you like to take a look?"

"Sure."

Lee Jiyeon skimmed through the document handed to her.

"'Presumed natural awakening'?"

"Yes. Artificial awakenings are classified, so officially, it'll be recorded as a standard natural awakening."

There were various hypotheses about the conditions for becoming an awakener, but nothing had been definitively proven.

Being ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a semi-awakener didn't even increase one's odds of becoming a true awakener compared to regular people.

The proportions were roughly the same.

In other words, semi-awakeners made up about 1% of the total population, and among true awakeners, those who had been semi-awakeners beforehand also hovered around 1%.

Considering there were only about 10,000 true awakeners worldwide, cases like Lee Jiyeon's—where a semi-awakener became a true awakener—numbered fewer ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠than a hundred.

But hey, they existed.

It might draw some attention, but it seemed like a perfectly reasonable cover story.

"What about Lee Chang... I mean, my original identity?"

"Presumed dead after entering a dangerous gate solo. It'll be officially announced soon."

Lee Jiyeon finished scanning the document and handed it back.

The name Lee Chang would vanish from the world.

A strange mix of emotions washed over her. Losing the name, identity, and sense of self she'd carried for 34 years.

The original her—the 2-meter-tall, hyper-muscular A-rank hunter Lee Chang—was gone.

In her place remained Lee Jiyeon: a magical girl who was all essence and no excess, standing just 142cm tall.

Lee Jiyeon clicked her tongue and shook off the thoughts.

No need to get all gloomy over it.

"When do we measure my hunter rank?"

"Already? Aren't you rushing it a bit?"

"Obviously I can't right now. I don't even know how to use this body yet."

Her mana circuits were intact, but the trait had changed the feel of the mana emanating from her mana core, and her body itself was completely transformed.

She couldn't fight yet. Not without proper rehab time.

Lee Jiyeon clenched her fist tight and continued.

"Bottom line, I'm a true awakener now. I never dreamed it'd come at this cost, but... I achieved my dream anyway. I'll get stronger—no, way stronger than before."

"..."

The chief researcher didn't respond.

She worked closely with hunters, but she wasn't a fighter herself.

She couldn't grasp the mindset that drove Lee Jiyeon—or Lee Chang—to make battle a profession, to claw for strength no matter what.

"Let's start today. You got a training facility around here?"

"We have something similar to the Hunter Association's measurement facilities..."

"Let's go. I need to figure out how to work this body..."

Just as Lee Jiyeon moved to head out like she had no time to waste—

- Grrrooowl

"Oh my."

The girl's navel clock rang out.

It had been well over 48 hours since she'd last eaten anything. She'd fasted for a day even before the experiment.

Hearing the sound, the chief researcher smiled and took the lead.

"Food first? It's lunchtime, so the cafeteria should be open."

"...Yeah."

Lee Jiyeon ducked her head to hide her faintly pink cheeks and followed the chief researcher out.

The grounds of the Korea Hunter Technology Institute were quiet.

As they walked alone, the chief researcher suddenly brought it up like she'd just remembered.

"By the way, you might want to adjust your title and speech around others."

"Huh?"

It came out of nowhere. Lee Jiyeon turned, frowning at the chief researcher.

"I know you were originally Hunter Lee Chang at 34, so it doesn't bother me... but if you talk like that elsewhere, people will stare."

"Hm..."

She wasn't wrong.

The chief researcher was a middle-aged woman, and Lee Jiyeon looked like a little girl on the outside.

A twinge of pride resisted, but Lee Jiyeon accepted it quick enough. Even accounting for her real age, the woman was still older.

Up till now, it had just been her habit of talking down to people like always.

"Use polite speech, you mean? Like this?"

"Yes. No need to be overly formal—just moderate it."

Lee Jiyeon glanced down slightly. Pinned to the chief researcher's white coat was her name tag.

Jo Jeong-ah. That was her name.

Lee Jiyeon made a mental note.

She'd call her "Chief Researcher" anyway, but with frequent visits, she should at least remember the name.

Before she knew it, they'd arrived at the cafeteria. Lee Jiyeon sat with the meal ticket Jo Jeong-ah had gotten her.

As she waited for her number to be called, someone approached.

"Chief Researcher? A moment..."

A lab staffer Lee Jiyeon didn't recognize.

Whatever it was seemed private; Jo Jeong-ah stood and talked with him in the corner of the cafeteria.

When she returned, he finally noticed Lee Jiyeon and met her eyes.

"Oh, and this kid is...?"

"A newly awakened true awakener. I'm looking after her due to circumstances."

"A true awakener? At that age?"

The researcher looked shocked.

Then he reached out—

"Impressive... Good work, kiddo."

And placed his hand on Lee Jiyeon's head.

Caught off guard by the sudden "attack," Lee Jiyeon froze solid.

His hand ruffled her hair like she was a housecat, stroking a few times.

Just as Lee Jiyeon was about to swear and swat it away—

"By the way, she's seventeen. Watch it."

"Y-Yes? Really?"

Jo Jeong-ah's words stopped his hand dead. He looked like he couldn't have imagined it.

"Ah, sorry. My mistake..."

He yanked his hand back.

Swearing felt awkward now; Lee Jiyeon just glared and spat one line.

"...Don't do it again."

She didn't forget the polite speech.

The researcher bowed repeatedly as he left, and Jo Jeong-ah covered Lee Jiyeon's clenched fist with her adult hand.

"He's not a bad guy—try to understand."

"...Yes."

Still felt shitty, though.

The rest of the meal passed without incident.

Soon, Lee Jiyeon's number appeared on the screen.

She wolfed it down quick. She was starving, and maybe because of the kid's tongue, the flavors hit richer than usual.

Only downside: she could only eat half the pork cutlet set before wasting the rest—money down the drain for her normal appetite.

Lee Jiyeon seriously pondered ordering the kids' set next time.

After eating, Lee Jiyeon headed straight to the testing facility with Jo Jeong-ah.

Perhaps for the tests, Jo Jeong-ah had called two more staffers via comms—the ones from the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠artificial trait awakening experiment.

Basement level 2 of the Experiment Building.

The elevator doors opened to a vast space walled in concrete.

It was sizable.

Gym-sized in length and width, with plenty of ceiling height.

Shock-absorbing pads lined the walls, and broken equipment scraps plus a few large sandbags littered the corner.

Originally built for gear and durability testing.

Most equipment tested at the Korea Hunter Technology Institute was for semi-awakeners.

True awakeners were powerful and drew attention, but rare, with huge variances in trait-based abilities—requiring custom gear.

Semi-awakeners, though, had standardized mana handling and greater numbers, making mass-produced, military-style gear feasible.

Thus, the displayed and stored equipment looked familiar to Lee Jiyeon.

She pulled one out.

A familiar-looking axe.

Black-painted handle and blade throughout—the balanced one she'd favored back as Lee Chang.

Then, it was a hand axe; now, with this body, it was a two-hander.

"Chief Researcher. Let's start the test."

"No transformation?"

Transformation.

Lee Jiyeon instantly recalled yesterday—right after becoming this body.

Stimulating her mana core per the researcher's explanation to check the trait.

Mysterious words etched into her mind, and chanting them unleashed light, completing the transformation.

Those words still burned fresh in memory.

'Magical Fantasia, Miracle Change! Magical Girl Lunatic Warrior, transform!!'

Fuck this shit!

Lee Jiyeon's shoulders trembled as she answered.

"...For now, try it in this state."

"Hm... Understood. Prep start. Activate equipment."

At Jo Jeong-ah's order, staff moved, and training gear hummed to life.

Lee Jiyeon stood before a small sandbag.

About average adult male size. "Lv.1" marked on top.

Conveniently called a sandbag, but made of special material—basically a metal lump target.

Perfect for testing hunter strength.

She let the two-handed axe hang naturally, closed her eyes, and focused inward.

The mana core, layered at the body's center, heart midst.

Without transforming, recall the old methods sensorily and apply to this body.

Not easy. Mana wouldn't move as intended, for some reason.

Mana meant to circulate circuits for reinforcement kept veering elsewhere.

As if following the mana core's control, not her will.

Lee Jiyeon observed inward, probing its purpose.

'...Protection? Defense?'

The mana core's output—vast beyond compare to before.

All of it ignoring circuit paths, diverting elsewhere.

'Automatic defense in non-transformed state? Is that normal?'

Without transforming, overriding the mana core's compulsion seemed tough.

Still, she tried once.

Forcing mana to circulate circuits briefly.

The specific sensation of mana flowing, body strengthening.

The moment it hit, she swung the axe wide.

The result—

- Clang! - Clink!Thud!Thump!

Her hands numbed.

The axe, unable to withstand the impact, bounced off and clattered across the floor, echoing through the space.

"Are you okay?!"

Jo Jeong-ah rushed out from the observation room.

Lee Jiyeon stood frozen, staring at her buzzing, tingling hands.

'This won't work.'

She'd tried forcing power without transforming, but it was impossible.

Most mana locked into forced defense; yanking it for circuits caused imbalance, no control.

No helping it.

Lee Jiyeon steeled her resolve.

To the approaching Jo Jeong-ah, the girl said,

"Is there... a sealed room here?"

Luckily, yes—a warehouse-like space in one corner.

Lee Jiyeon toddled in, emerging moments later.

A black gothic lolita dress: white frills on collar and skirt hem.

Red ribbons adorned the collar and right side of her hair.

White pantyhose peeked below the dress; black enamel shoes on her feet.

Proving it magical girl attire, a bizarre short wand gleamed in her hand.

The so-called magic wand.

"...Let's start again."

The girl quietly averted her gaze, face flushed, refusing eye contact.

And the tests resumed.