Regular Checkup Day
Lim Dojun sat in a wheelchair being pushed by Kim Eunju herself.
It was the National Rehabilitation Center’s regular medical examination day.
Kim Eunju asked as she pushed the wheelchair with practiced ease.
“Is it comfortable?”
“Yes. It feels really nice to ride in a wheelchair someone else is pulling for once.”
Dojun smiled and joked.
‘I never thought the day would come when I’d genuinely laugh while sitting in a wheelchair.’
The two of them were still pretending he was disabled, just in case.
In everyday life, there was little chance of running into people who knew him, but the rehabilitation center was different.
Too many people here had been watching him for a long time, and there were military officials as well. For now, they had to keep his recovery a secret.
“Just bear with it a little longer. Once we reach the VIP room in Rehabilitation Building 3, there won’t be any CCTV or outsiders.”
“You can keep pushing me. It’s been so long since I’ve ridden one. It feels good.”
“Hoho. I never imagined the day would come when Mr. Dojun would make jokes like this.”
Kim Eunju smiled softly.
It wasn’t the bitter humor of someone who had given up. These were jokes from a man who had fully recovered. How could they not be amusing?
They soon arrived at the VIP room.
Lim Dojun stood up from the wheelchair.
“The ride quality was excellent.”
“Of course. You think I’ve only pushed one or two people?”
“What should we do now?”
“Let’s start with a full physical assessment.”
Inside the VIP room was a chamber built with reinforced concrete.
This rehabilitation center also treated awakened individuals and returnees. The room was designed for when they needed to use their full power.
“Stand in the center over there. We’ll begin with the motor function tests.”
“Understood.”
The various tests began in earnest.
Reacting to lasers, dodging live rubber bullets, touching randomly appearing holograms on the floor and walls in a multidimensional shuttle run, and impact force testing using hydraulic presses.
After the physical ability tests came the measurements for magic.
“Your strongest field is cryomancy, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then we’ll start there.”
The testing methods varied.
First was measuring how quickly he could freeze a large water tank filled to the brim.
It was a test to observe specific heat and freezing speed.
Freezing Speed: Extreme
Specific Heat Efficiency: Maximum
-Crrrrrack!
“...We didn’t need to run this test.”
Kim Eunju shook her head as she stared at the massive water tank that had frozen solid in the blink of an eye.
Next came precision measurement.
Kim Eunju brought over a wristwatch.
“This watch contains an incredible number of delicate internal components. Could you freeze them one by one exactly as I instruct?”
It was a test to confirm how precisely he could release his power.
“Yes. Let’s try it.”
And so Lim Dojun froze each individual gear inside the watch exactly as she directed.
Watching him, Kim Eunju was left utterly speechless.
The level of control he displayed over cold energy was impossibly precise.
“You’re beyond most returnees.”
“I am a returnee, technically. Though I haven’t fully returned from that other world yet.”
“That’s what makes it so ridiculous. Most returnees find it difficult to grow stronger after coming back, but you’re still living in that world. Oh, right. Are you planning to enter any Gates?”
“I went into plenty during my military days.”
Back when he was a soldier who had to follow orders, the moment a Gate appeared, he was immediately deployed.
After clearing countless Gates, he eventually earned the nickname “Gate Master.”
Even if you added up the total number of Gates cleared by any group of returnees, it still wouldn’t match his record.
That was why his Gate-clearing ability far exceeded what his overall skill level would suggest.
“You made the right choice. You need to stay hidden from the military and the government for now.”
“I’ve actually been looking into that separately.”
“Is it safe?”
“Yes. Don’t I always prioritize safety above all else?”
“Pfft. It’s hilarious hearing that from the former leader of the Special Counter-Abnormal Team. Well, if you say so, I’ll trust you. Anyway, let’s get back to the original topic. Now we’ll look at your physical abilities. Your reaction speed has decreased slightly compared to last time.”
“......”
Lim Dojun’s expression stiffened slightly.
He knew the cause all too well.
It was because of the Crystal Dragon’s curse.
‘Increasing my Dragon’s Body percentage isn’t unconditionally good.’
His strength, stamina, physical power, and durability had all improved, but the speed at which his body froze over had also increased.
“Didn’t you say before that there was a solution?”
“You can raise your fame in Astelgard or learn a better mana cultivation method.”
“It’s good that there’s a solution, but it doesn’t sound easy.”
“Correct.”
He had made a deal to receive secret arts from the Blue Magic Tower, but there had been no mention yet of a mana cultivation method.
If he wanted to learn something better than what he currently had, he would need to prove himself further and rise higher.
‘I should try to raise my fame during this next mission.’
Right now, he was only known as a genius within the Blue Magic Tower. It was time to let the outside world know.
“That’s all for today’s tests. I’m personally looking forward to seeing what numbers we get next month. Also, I have something to tell you. Liberty Soft contacted us.”
“Liberty Soft...? The game company?”
For a moment he couldn’t remember who they were, but the memory quickly returned.
It was the game company that had provided the rehabilitation capsule and beta test access.
Kim Eunju told him about the email she had received.
They were developing a new martial arts-style game and were offering to provide beta access if he was interested.
‘...Another game?’
This was something even Lim Dojun found questionable.
He currently used the capsule as a medium to travel to Astelgard. If he connected through a different game, what would happen?
Would he still go to Astelgard, or would he end up in an entirely different world?
“I think... it would probably lead to a different world?”
“That’s what I assumed as well.”
Returnees had traveled to many different worlds.
Just as there was an Astelgard alumni association, countless dimensions and worlds existed.
Dojun speculated that the reason he had gone to Astelgard was because the beta test game had a similar setting.
After all, he had heard it had a similar fantasy atmosphere.
“Now that I think about it, I don’t actually play games. Won’t the game company ask me any questions?”
Since it was a beta test, they would probably want data, but Dojun had nothing to give them.
The moment he lay down in the capsule and connected, he was sent straight to Astelgard.
“That’s fine. They aren’t expecting any information from you. They can’t collect it anyway.”
The game company wasn’t actually recruiting beta testers from the rehabilitation center for real testing purposes.
In Dojun’s case especially, since he was a discharged soldier, security was important and they couldn’t casually collect data.
The reason they still provided the beta test was for publicity.
A game company that offered rehabilitation-purpose games even to a disabled veteran.
If that fact became known later, it would greatly help the company’s image.
“Then that’s a relief. A martial arts game doesn’t sound bad. Tell them I’ll participate.”
“Understood. However, it may take some time before you get any results. They said it’s still in heavy development.”
“I see.”
Since it wasn’t urgent, he was happy to wait comfortably.
Blue Magic Tower, Bellangs Branch, Lounge.
First through third-year mages had gathered, with Jo Difel and Casian at the center.
“How was it?”
“You were right.”
“See? Jun is different, isn’t he?”
“Yeah. I’ve never seen a mage like him in my entire life.”
Casian said with sparkling eyes.
They were currently talking about Lim Dojun. In particular, Casian, who had recently gone on a mission with him, was giving a detailed explanation.
How he had willingly joined the ruin exploration mission, how he spent several days in a rundown village without a single complaint and wandered the mountains every day, and how even on the way back he had spent an entire day gathering medicinal herbs without showing any dissatisfaction.
“Casian. You’re not lying, are you?”
Third-year mage Gunter asked, unable to understand.
“Where in the world is there a mage like that?”
“Even as I say it, I can hardly believe it myself, but Jun really is like that.”
“Ha... I just can’t wrap my head around it.”
Gunter shook his head.
“At that level, shouldn’t he have gone to a holy order instead of a magic tower? Even if he started as a low-ranking believer, they’d recognize him immediately and elevate him to a saint.”
“Don’t say things like that. If the branch manager hears, we’re all dead.”
The branch manager constantly bragged about his disciple. If he heard something like this, there would be hell to pay.
At that moment, Lim Dojun entered the lounge carrying a large bag.
“Oh! Jun!”
“Ah. Seniors. Hello.”
Dojun politely bowed his head.
“I heard you entered the intermediate magic introductory course. Congratulations.”
“I was lucky.”
Dojun spoke humbly.
However, a smile lingered on his lips, and the gathered mages were extremely pleased.
“But why the bag? Are you going somewhere?”
“Yes. I’ll be heading to another ruin this time.”
“......”
“......”
Dojun spoke with a slightly excited smile, but the other mages looked at him in pure shock.
‘...What is he? A pervert?’
‘Don’t tell me Jun isn’t actually kind... he’s just so obsessed with magic that he’s gone insane!?’
They exchanged quick glances and realized they were all thinking the same thing.
“Senior Casian. Would you like to come with me this time as well?”
Dojun offered the invitation to Casian.
Her exploration knowledge and the magic she could use inside ruins had been incredibly helpful.
He wondered if she might be useful again this time.
“Ah... I’m sorry. I think I need to rest a bit.”
Even as she said it, Casian could hardly believe her own words.
A mage majoring in exploration turning down an invitation to explore ruins first? Unheard of!
But it couldn’t be helped.
No matter how much it was her major, it was only natural to feel exhausted.
She had only returned a few days ago. Going to another ruin so soon was too much.
At that moment, Gunter, who had been standing beside her, stepped forward.
“Junior. I’m Gunter. I’ve been majoring in cold-attribute attack magic for three years.”
“Nice to meet you, Senior.”
“Are you heading straight to the ruins? Or is there a city you’ll stop by first?”
“I plan to stop by Milberg first.”
Since the Canyon of Frozen Snow wasn’t far from the city of Milberg, he intended to visit there first.
Now that he had cleared the Rodonos House of false charges, he wanted to check whether they had settled in properly and see if they needed any help.
“Oh. Then I’ll go with you. I was planning to take a monster-hunting mission anyway. I was debating which city to go to, but Milberg sounds perfect for me too.”
Lim Dojun was a mage with a guaranteed future.
He was the branch manager’s genius disciple, and elders were already coming to see him.
If he built a good relationship with him now, it would all become valuable connections.
‘I’ll be much more helpful to him than Casian.’
A third-year attack magic specialist would make for a far more reliable comrade.
No matter what kind of ambush they faced, he would be able to protect them safely. He was a million times better than some burdensome exploration major.
“Uh... um... you, Senior?”
“......?”
However, Lim Dojun wore an ambiguous expression.
An attack magic specialist.
Did he really need one?