Ability Granting (1)
“With four options to choose from, what should we try first?”
I decided to start with the newly unlocked equipment upgrade function.
There were two types of upgrades: ones that boosted strength and defense, and ones that imbued special abilities onto the gear. We opted to try the special ability upgrade first.
We'd test it on existing equipment, and if the ability turned out underwhelming, we'd pivot to crafting new gear. But even before trying, I was confident it wouldn't be anything mediocre.
Just look at Han Eun-ji, the only one whose gear already had a special ability. We'd tested it against people when bringing Shim Eun-hyeon over—our first time against Gangnam government soldiers—and the effect was phenomenal.
Anyone her right hand touched rotted away on contact. Tests showed her gear's special ability lasted one hour once activated, recharging automatically based on usage. Full depletion meant a 24-hour recharge.
We'd only seen it in one real fight, but purely on ability, it ignored defenses. The only downside was needing direct touch—a huge risk, but still insanely powerful.
Against monsters that swords from the armory couldn't easily cut, she'd shine.
Naturally, the first upgrade candidate was Im Jui.
She refused stubbornly, but upgrading anyone else first made no sense.
“Ah... um. This is tough.”
“It's difficult.”
“Quite the dilemma.”
Pressing the equipment enhancement button dropped a box on a line from the dispenser. We put Im Jui's gear inside, and it slid into the machine.
The panel then offered options for which corpse to use for the ability.
Dome Head
Six Wing
Alpha
Beta
I guessed why it offered choices.
“Probably... different corpses grant different abilities?”
“Seems like it.”
“Excellent insight as always, Commander.”
My hunch felt most plausible. If abilities were preset, no need for choices. Though it could just be arbitrary—the system wasn't always user-friendly.
“Jui.”
-Yes.-
“You pick...”
Im Jui panicked.
“Take your time.”
She stared at the panel for minutes, then pointed.
“Beta?”
-Yes.-
“Any reason for Beta? Just curious.”
-No.-
She bowed her head.
“Beta it is.”
Selecting it made the workshop machine roar to life.
2h 30m
“Two hours thirty? That's a while. Ramen at the spa?”
Han Byeol said excitedly.
“Sounds good!”
Han Seol grabbed her radio.
“I'll call the chefs right away.”
“Nah, we can boil ramen ourselves. Call I-rang and Hye-won too. Director if he's free.”
“Understood.”
Truth be told, chefs made ramen taste way better. Same instant noodles, but mine always sucked.
Ramen and some gaming flew by the two and a half hours. Leaving the spa, night had deepened. Tucked I-rang in, then headed to the workshop with the executives.
The box waited in the dispenser. Inside: Im Jui's original gear and mask. No visible changes.
“Try it on.”
-Yes.-
She suited up, masked, and stared blankly into space.
“Feel anything different? Director felt it instantly.”
“Yes, Commander. I sensed the change right away, and gradually understood the ability naturally.”
Im Jui spaced out.
“Jui? Jui?”
She snapped to, scribbling furiously on her notepad.
-Sorry.-
“No worries. Feel different?”
-Yes, right away.-
“Can you use it? Let's test on a rock outside like last time.”
She waved no.
-It's fine. Not an attack ability, so safe here.-
“Not attack...?”
A bit disappointed. Make that very.
Im Jui symbolized Nakyuan's absolute might—non-attack on her gear stung.
“Whoa!”
“Jui!”
“Whoa...”
But as she activated it, my brief disappointment melted.
“Damn...”
She vanished before our eyes.
Han Byeol muttered in awe.
“Stealth...”
Im Jui's gear got Stealth.
“This counts as attack power, right?”
“Totally...”
I held out my hand.
“Jui, grab it?”
Notepad flip and pen scratch sounds.
“Not even the notepad shows for us...”
Stealth covered her body, gear, clothes, sword, everything she carried.
Her hand took mine. True invisible human.
“Huh? Fading in a bit?”
Grasping, her silhouette emerged faintly.
“Everyone see?”
“Yes, faintly.”
“Her outline's visible, dimly.”
“Physical contact reveals the silhouette?”
“Freely toggleable?”
More scribbles. Thud—pad hit the floor, visible.
“Detaches from body, visible.”
-Toggle free, but duration unknown.-
“Okay... off.”
Air shimmered; she reappeared.
“Fucking broken.”
She called it non-attack, but this screamed offensive. An awakener with absurd strength now stealthed? Invincible.
“On again?”
She nodded—but stayed visible.
We shelved other upgrades, experimenting on Im Jui's stealth for three days.
Duration: one hour. Unlike Han Eun-ji's, no partial use—one activation meant full hour stealthed or wait 24 hours after toggle off. Full use: 24-hour recharge.
Invisible to naked eye. Contact, fast movement, swinging weapons showed silhouette. Intense combat? Silhouette visible.
Trailing executives stealthily? They sensed something off. Top awakeners had beastly senses, picking up human presence.
Couldn't fully mask human aura.
Still ridiculous. Pre-fight stealth from her level? Game over. Even equals: backstab from stealth, done.
Han Byeol said,
“Monster or human fights—terrifying either way.”
“Yeah... Thought Gangnam's Yoo Gyu-seong might match her with backup before. Now? No comparison.”
Not met every awakener, but strongest in Korea? Im Jui, no question.
“So... all corpses for upgrades? Agreed?”
“Yes.”
“Yes.”
“Yes, Commander.”
Witnessing Han Eun-ji and Im Jui's new powers, executives agreed to use all corpses on gear upgrades.
Left: Dome Head, Six Wing, Alpha. Candidates: Han Seol, Han Byeol, Jeong Su-hwan. Han Eun-ji's gear born with ability, so sisters and Jeong first. Promised her next named monster for strength/defense.
She insisted debt from gear alone, seniority meant she skip—but I overruled.
Executives equal. No favoritism.
Undecided on corpses? Drew lots: Han Seol Six Wing, Han Byeol Alpha, Jeong Dome Head.
Han Seol's first.
“Ooh...”
“Changed a bit?”
Her gear's back now bore blue triple-wing patterns. Six Wing: flying monster with three wing pairs.
“Rough idea what this does...”
Executives nodded.
“Test outside.”
Crackle!
“Whoa, cool!”
“Seol! Super cool!”
“Impressive.”
Sparks crackled as six rippling blue wings burst from Han Seol's back. Less wings, more plasma tentacles.
Beaming, she asked,
“Can I fly?”
“Go.”
Faint buzz—she floated up.
“Wow!”
Residents gasped.
“How's it?”
Grinning bright, she yelled,
“Amazing! Feels natural, like I could always fly!”
Ecstatic, she zipped Nakyuan's skies.
“Fast. Drone speeds maybe?”
Han Byeol worried,
“Seol! Slow down, dangerous!”
“Coated twice—won't hurt falling.”
Pre-flight double coating.
Han Seol flew wildly for an hour, then crashed. Empty lot, luckily. Coating spared injury. Still buzzing, she laughed heartily.
Next day, retested. Duration: 1-2 hours. Like Im Jui's—deploy once, counts as use, 24-hour recharge even if stowed.
Full throttle: 1 hour. Moderate: 2 hours.
Not just flight—grounded, wield six wings as weapons. Not armory-sword sharp, but sliced rock clean.
No more drone rides. Self-controlled, more maneuverable, convenient.
Her dual-wielding pulse rifles mid-air? Spectacular.
Heading to workshop with executives, I told Han Byeol,
“Your turn, then Guard Captain.”
“Yes...”
“Worried?”
“No, too excited.”
“Huh?”
“Can't wait to see my gear's ability...”