Now It's My Turn?
An awakener's body changes based on the amount of mana they possess at the moment of awakening. This transformation occurs at the cellular level, so modern medicine and science can't even pinpoint the cause.
Mana, a force that had never existed in human history. The body of an awakener fundamentally reshapes itself to harness that mana. As a result, their physical composition varies by rank.
It only makes sense—with skills requiring a body tough enough to withstand their backlash. That's why awakeners are powerful even without skills. They're not called walking human weapons for nothing.
In other words, their danger doesn't drop just because they're holding back on skills.
Whoosh.
'Whoa.'
True to his B-rank status, his punching fist cut through the air with a sharp whistle. But I'd already read the flow of his mana and dodged sideways.
Ever since acquiring Mana Control, the movement of mana inside an opponent's body felt as clear as if I could grab it.
The moment his arm stretched out fully, I lightly nudged the arm whipping past me.
That precise disruption of his mana flow made his body wobble.
"Huh?"
As he panicked and staggered off-balance, I swept his legs out from under him.
Thud!
He'd been struggling to regain his footing, but he face-planted right onto the mat. The class had just started sparring, and his dramatic flop drew everyone's eyes.
"Ow..."
The momentum of his charge had rebounded as impact, so he clutched his nose and sprang back up.
Even a B-rank awakener couldn't handle precise strikes timed to their mana flow. Honestly, without skills, he was just a fit guy overflowing with unused mana—a total rookie.
Thanks to Professor Kim Tae-min broadening my perspective, I felt like I'd leveled up mentally.
I clenched and unclenched my fist with a smirk. Mana wasn't about swinging harder; it had to be applied precisely, in sync with the flow and context.
'Yeah, sparring like this really drives it home.'
Mistaking my smirk for mockery, he scowled and hauled himself up.
"You little shit!"
"Keep calling me 'little shit'—you my deadbeat dad or something?"
"What?"
"You possessed by him or what?"
"What the fuck?"
"Or you got a rag stuffed in your mouth? Why's some random asshole like you yapping 'little shit' nonstop? You clumsy fuck who trips over his own feet."
"Heh heh."
"Kukuku."
The other students sparring nearby snickered at my words. His over-the-top pratfall at the start of class was pretty damn comical.
"You fucking prick!"
Hooked by my taunt, he charged with a flushed face.
Hummm.
Mana surged fiercely into his right fist.
'That's a skill, right?'
Even a brain-dead idiot wouldn't pull a skill in front of the prof, would he? He must've thought he was being sneaky, but if I could spot it, no way the experienced professor missed it.
Sure enough, a glance at the professor showed him watching us with keen interest.
'Testing the waters, huh?'
He came off friendly with his warm tone and smile, but I always sensed something more beneath it.
'Fall for that, and you're screwed.'
I smirked and tracked his movements—or rather, waited for his mana to erupt.
Suddenly a B-rank, getting all the perks, must've made him think he was hot shit. Skills handle most mana control and routing, so he probably figured it was all him.
Until now, maybe. Not anymore.
Boom!
His fist rocketed forward, tearing the air. The skill's mana wave rippled outward in its wake.
The grazing punch nicked my cheek, a thin line of blood trickling down. In that split second, I slipped inside his arm and drove my elbow upward into the crook.
Thwack!
"Guh!"
My mana pierced into him, scattering chaotically and disrupting his flow. I immediately dropped low, hooked his ankle, and yanked.
Most awakeners lack grappling experience, leaving them wide open to ground work. I'd drilled this shit relentlessly to hold onto my team leader spot.
"Aaaah! My—my leg! My fucking leg!"
That gap made this possible. Still, he was a B-rank—higher than me. No room for half-assed mercy with cocky pricks.
I released his leg. He twisted back desperately, swinging wildly at me.
I ducked, wedged my shoulder into his armpit, and yanked hard.
Bam!
A clean ippongezi—one-arm shoulder throw—slammed him flat.
"Keurk!"
Depending on raw strength without training, he ate the full impact, no ukemi to soften it. He writhed on the mat.
I glanced at the red cushioned tiles and chuckled.
'Be grateful for the mats.'
On concrete, something would've snapped clean.
After squirming a while, he pointed at me accusingly.
"Ch-cheating!"
"Huh? How?"
He yelled first, then fumbled without explaining. He'd been the one using a skill.
"Y-you used a skill, right? Yeah?"
"Me? I just dodged."
"Nngh, no way!"
The professor strolled over with a deadpan expression at his shout.
"Min-ho, did you use a skill?"
"No, sir. Thought we were going no-skills."
"Seemed like you were defending this time, but you attacked."
"He went for a skill, so I reacted on instinct... Sorry."
I bowed apologetically, looking sheepish. No point pissing off the prof.
"Chang-min?"
"Y-yes?"
"Looked more like you used one, actually."
"N-no, sir."
He'd tried to be sly, but if I saw through it, Professor Go Taek-hyeon sure as hell did.
"Hmm. Nothing dumber than getting hurt in sparring. Watch it next time, both of you."
"Yes, sir."
"Y-yes..."
Go Taek-hyeon brushed it off without issue.
'Not the type to let it slide that easy...'
He clapped lightly to refocus the class.
"Alright, eyes up! Awakening is amazing. Skills manifest our powers into the world. But don't rely on them too much. What matters is understanding and wielding your own abilities."
He smiled faintly at me and beckoned.
"Min-ho's handling of Chang-min was a perfect example. Mind helping me out?"
"Me?"
"Yeah. Recreate that spar exactly."
"Got it."
I had no clue his angle, but he called me forward and assumed the exact stance Chang-min had taken.
"Here I come."
Professor Go Taek-hyeon advanced. But his movements were glacially slow.
'What the—?'
It was deliberate slow-motion sparring. To make it clear for the students, he threw his punch at tutorial speed—like replaying the scene in slo-mo.
Getting it, I smirked and played along, dodging and extending my arm.
Tap!
Our arms met lightly; his swung wide, balance disrupted.
"Here! Dodged by a hair, then shoved the arm. Looks simple, but it hides a key principle: stealing the opponent's breath."
"Ooh."
The students nodded in awe at his lecture. First time hearing systematic martial arts breakdown.
Always "use skills more," "grow your mana"—never this precise.
"Min-ho? Explain why that timing matters."
He winked. He'd clocked the bullying vibe and tossed me the spotlight naturally.
Can't fumble freebies. I smiled lightly.
"Hit the peak of their technique, exploit the tiny gap, collapse their balance."
"Spot on. Chang-min? What'd you do there?"
"Uh, w-well."
Caught off-guard, Chang-min stammered.
"Nothing. That's why you ate mat. Right?"
"..."
Go Taek-hyeon's finisher twisted Chang-min's face redder.
'Damn, roasting with a smile like that.'
I admired the technique.
"As you know, Chang-min's B-rank, Min-ho's C. Normally an uncrossable gap. But effective movement and strikes bridge it. Don't forget. Back to sparring?"
"Yes!"
Everyone nodded happily—except beet-red Chang-min—and returned to stations.
"Switch offense and defense!"
I cracked my neck and approached him.
"Now it's my turn?"
Gulp.
Sensing something ominous instinctively, Chang-min hesitated and stepped back.
"You see that Kang Min-ho kid earlier?"
"Dude was flying."
"That fucker didn't cheat with a skill?"
"Nah, Professor Go would've called it—no way he lets that slide."
"True."
"Some C-rank punk handled Chang-min like a mouse."
"Chang-min's got a temper, but he's no slouch."
"Fuck. Heard he's an Irregular—might lap us later."
Students chattered about me as they filed out post-class.
Lee Jae-wook watched from behind, worried.
"Wasn't that too harsh? He was out cold."
"B-rank? Sleep it off, good as new. Focus on your shit."
"Fine, if you say so."
Chang-min got carted to the infirmary after I tenderized him. With all the awakeners clustered here, incidents were daily; senior healers stood by 24/7.
Their skills fixed most wounds on-site. Hunter squabbles were routine—government barely blinked anymore.
'Gotta be an awakening side effect.'
Like inner monsters getting a chance to emerge. Wasn't there a saying? Everyone's got a monster inside—they just don't show it.
Maybe why so many assholes among awakeners.
"Min-ho?"
"Yes?"
Professor Go Taek-hyeon's voice snapped me from my thoughts.
"That was impressive earlier."
"Thank you, sir."
I bowed. He tossed casually,
"Got time? Light spar?"
"Spar?"
I hesitated; Jae-wook lit up.
"Whoa, awesome! Rare for a prof to coach one-on-one."
"Y-yeah?"
It was a golden opportunity at the Magic Officer Academy.
I eyed Professor Go Taek-hyeon, scratching my head.
'Doesn't feel like pure mentorship.'
Our eyes met; he smiled softly.