Chapter 2
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Kim Geuk
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On the day that damn Gate opened, my sister and I both awakened. In other words, both the big brother and the little sister became superpowered.
It sounded cool, but it wasn't all that great for our lives.
A few months after it was confirmed that I was a Physical Enhancement Awakener, I got kicked out of the UFC. Awakeners like me aren't allowed to compete as athletes. It didn't matter that the awakening wasn't voluntary. Damn it all.
And my little sister? She went to prison. More precisely, she was locked up in the juvenile wing of a women's correctional facility.
"So that's why I'm here begging even human rights groups. Should I explain more?"
The lady from the human rights group nodded solemnly at my complaint. Her name was Park Mi-hyeong, I think.
"Please go on. So, at your sister's school..."
"Five school bullies at my sister's school died. Those bitch bullies had been tormenting my sister to death on a regular basis."
"Your sister was bullied, right?"
"Yeah. In the end, my sister was named as the prime suspect... and found guilty. Without a shred of evidence. Does that even make sense? Where's the presumption of innocence?"
It wasn't a question expecting an answer. But Park Mi-hyeong closed her eyes briefly, then opened them and spoke.
"There are cases where the so-called presumption of guilt is applied."
"Guilty without evidence? That makes sense?"
"It doesn't, but it's what happens in reality. I'm not saying it's right by any means, but look at sexual assault trials. Even without physical evidence, if the victim's testimony is consistent, they get convicted. You know that, right?"
"Yeah. That's why there are so many innocent people rotting in jail."
"Exactly. It's full of problems, but there's a reason for it. Sexual crimes are hard to gather evidence for by nature. So if it seems guilty based on circumstances, they rule guilty. That's why I'm telling you this—Awakeners... you get it?"
"Get what?"
Park Mi-hyeong sighed and said,
"Awakeners can commit perfect crimes that current investigation methods can't uncover way too easily."
I had a rough idea of what she was getting at.
Awakeners—us superpowered folks—could fool the National Forensic Service without ever reading a single mystery comic in our lives. How many Awakeners in Korea could just stare at someone they hate and freeze their brain blood vessels or crush their heart? It's no wonder superpowers are taboo in detective novels.
And my little sister was the type who could freeze brain blood vessels just by looking. Yet those bitches had the gall to gang up and bully her? Guess they didn't realize they could end up dead, those vermin.
"These days, cases like this aren't rare. All Awakener-related verdicts are like this."
While I seethed inwardly, Park Mi-hyeong went on like that.
Superpowered crimes make securing physical evidence tough, so they convict on suspicion alone. It's way too common for someone near the crime scene to get fingered as a suspect just because they're an Awakener.
If there's an Awakener among the relatives when someone dies, they're almost always pegged as the prime murder suspect.
"Let me stress again, I don't think this is right at all. That's why I'm trying to help after hearing your story."
She also said she was an Awakener herself. As a fellow Awakener, she'd do her utmost to help my sister in this unjust situation.
After that, most of my days revolved around the human rights group.
We tried everything. I held my first-ever press conference in front of cameras they rounded up, squeezed out some tears, joined group protests yelling together, even grabbed intruders who stormed the office and tossed them out the door...
Not a single result. Just pointless flailing to show we were doing something.
And my latest pointless effort was a one-man protest. Right in front of the courthouse that sentenced my sister.
I'd been standing alone at the back entrance of the courthouse for days. Holding two panels the group provided, not even sleeping, just like that.
A week and some into this nonsense, my thoughts were simple.
This is fucking bullshit.
My Physical Enhancement kept my legs from going numb, but it was excruciatingly boring. And hard to endure.
I wondered why I was even doing this. To reiterate, it was all just show—performative bullshit so I could say I wasn't holed up playing games and laughing when my sister got out.
I'd searched myself: my protest never made broadcast news, just a few lines in some internet article plastered with adult ads.
I saw the single comment on that article too: "How much is that thug mercenary getting paid?"
I wasn't even close to that girl to begin with. None of it felt rewarding or useful. Just lingering spite keeping me going out of stubbornness.
I glared at the judges coming and going from the courthouse, locked eyes with the security guards watching me warily, wondering if I'd snap and do something...
Once my sister was out, I'd take her and leave the country. Plenty of nations desperate for strong Awakeners—we could live well anywhere if we wanted. There had to be places that wouldn't care about criminal records...
...Right in the middle of my daydream, the fantasy cut off. Not by my will, but some external force.
Hallucinations...
Like yanking out a playing videotape and jamming in a new one, sounds and images that weren't mine filled my head.
A bird escaping its cage and flying out the window. A slave fleeing under cover of night. A black slave breaking chains and running. An immigrant ship cutting the sea to escape war. An ancient warrior reaching the exit of a massive labyrinth.
Scenes of escape and movement. All sorts of abstract symbols.
Amid the dizzying visions packing my skull, I was startled but understood the situation. Stress-induced hallucination? No.
This was an awakening. My second one.
I'd been through something similar before. In the octagon after my final win, fist raised high—I'd seen visions like this. That's when I awakened as a Physical Enhancement Awakener...
But, huh?
"Mister! When did you get in there? Get out now!"
Snapping to, I was inside the courthouse fence. The guards, freaking out over a dangerous guy's bold move, were yelling and gesturing wildly.
I didn't realize I'd awakened to Teleportation until hours later.
Took time to confirm because so few people had awakened to this power—making me an ultra-rare type of Awakener.
Half a year later, I had to quit the protests and alliance activities altogether.
Two big reasons. First, my savings ran dry. The money from my fighter and trainer days couldn't hold out anymore.
This world's where a bag of snacks costs 20,000 won two months ago, 30,000 now, 50,000 next month. In this superhero inflation straight out of a kids' economics comic, my savings lost value fast even without spending a dime.
Second, amid this hellish economy, the Korean Awakener Alliance I was with disbanded.
If the government had crushed us as a thorn in their side, it'd have some tragic nobility. But no—it was just like my savings. Their donations and funds dried up.
With banks and companies all bankrupt, even civic groups and members couldn't weather the economic storm.
Damn Gates. Damn Monsters.
"You've worked hard all this time, Mr. Kim Geuk. I pray your sister gets out soon."
The human rights activists, myself included, were all broke. Everyone scattered to find ways to survive.
I was about to leave the empty office too.
"Mr. Kim Geuk? Want to grab a bite and talk?"
Park Mi-hyeong from the group wanted to meet.
She looked sharp in nice clothes, face clean. Unlike other activists fretting over next meals, she seemed thriving. Well, she'd always had money.
"Congrats on becoming a councilor."
She smiled awkwardly at my words and asked how I was.
"So, Mr. Kim Geuk, how've you been?"
"How do you think? Like a bum."
"Yeah. Everyone's struggling these days."
She didn't look struggling, but I held my tongue. I'd owe her too much—like the villa I was crashing in for free was her building.
As I listened quietly, Park Mi-hyeong spoke up.
"That's why I wanted to ask, Mr. Kim Geuk. Got any immediate plans?"
"Not really. Why?"
"Ever thought about becoming a Hunter?"
I couldn't hold back a frown at that.
"You know I can't with my record? Can't get a Hunter license with priors. That's why I'm planning to emigrate once my sister’s out."
"That's... the law's changing."
She explained the Hunter license requirements were loosening big time. Old rules barred gun ownership and Hunter licenses if less than five years since conviction. All that was getting revised.
"Not enough Hunters for demand, especially Awakener Hunters. They'll let as many as possible Hunter up, priors be damned. Should change by July at latest, so I called to let you know. What do you think? Up for it?"
I didn't know how to thank her. Even if my mom were alive, she wouldn't have looked out for me like this. No doubt.
I mulled my words, then said,
"Yeah. Let's do it. Hunter."