Chapter 5 - Have We Confirmed It Properly?
Have We Confirmed It Properly?
"Oh, I think that's the guy."
"Who?"
"The porter who survived the Mutated Gate yesterday and Awakened. I overheard the section chief talking about it."
Chief Kim immediately understood why the man looked so tired. It must have been because of writing the Mutated Gate report.
"If he Awakened while running away, is he a rogue?"
"Probably?"
"That's ambiguous."
"Well, at least he's not a martial artist. Martial artists have to go to construction sites."
Martial artists, who could only use skills with their bare hands, found it nearly impossible to live as hunters.
The conversation couldn't continue. The man approached them.
"I'm here to get my Awakened status verified."
"Please provide your ID and place your hand on this device."
Verifying Awakened status was a simple procedure. It ended with the Mana detection device confirming Mana.
A green light lit up on the device. It meant he was Awakened.
"Han Hye, your Awakened status has been certified. Would you like to disclose your Status Window?"
"No."
Han Hye refused firmly. Chief Kim nodded. Most people preferred not to disclose it.
Until a few years ago, it was mandatory to disclose the Status Window when registering as an Awakened.
However, after all the information of domestic Awakened hunters was sold to China, the law was revised.
A hunter's information was also a valuable asset, so the policy changed to protect it as much as possible.
"Then you can tell us directly."
Still, they needed to know the occupation and general abilities. E-rank hunters and above were summoned to Discharge-type Gates.
They had to deploy Awakened individuals, and they couldn't put mages or healers on the front lines.
"Please be aware that if you are not a mage or healer and you lie, you may be punished under the relevant laws."
"My occupation is Spatialist. My ability is like an inventory."
"Pardon?"
"I can put things in and take them out."
"?"
The staff were startled, and Han Hye scratched the back of his head. Then, with a buzzing sound, a black hole appeared.
Han Hye put his smartphone into the hole and took it out.
"Something like this?"
Even for them, who were in charge of Awakened certification, it was an ability they had never seen before.
The staff, who quickly regained their senses, continued.
"Ah, yes. Han Hye, you have been confirmed as an F-rank hunter."
"Yes."
All Awakened individuals start at F-rank, regardless of their occupation or skill level. They have to accumulate achievements to move up.
"Um, if you want to live as a hunter, you know you have to participate in a workshop organized by the Association, right?"
"Yes."
It was a system created a few years ago to reduce the mortality rate of low-level Awakened individuals. The period wasn't long.
One week.
They learn about the inside of Gates and gain experience by entering low-level Gates with supervisors.
"The workshop starts in three days, but the deadline is tight, so you can participate in the next workshop held in a month."
"I'll do this workshop."
"Are you sure? There's an evaluation in the workshop. It's better to study the textbooks provided by the Association beforehand..."
"I'm fine."
Han Hye answered firmly. The tight schedule wasn't a problem. He had Subspace.
He listened to additional explanations about the workshop and took the textbooks.
"Where do I go for the 'Talent Confirmation' test?"
"Go to the third floor."
"Thank you."
Han Hye calmly turned and left.
Without caring how surprised the two people were.
"..."
The two people left in their seats met eyes. Why wasn't the porter who Awakened showing up? If someone like that appeared, they would invest in expensive Secret Arts...
That was what they had been talking about until just now.
"Park?"
This wasn't a situation to just sit still. Park, nodding, immediately picked up his smartphone.
"Team Leader. I have something to tell you..."
The team leader who answered the phone called his superior. After three repetitions, the call went to the chairman of the Hunter Association.
"What?"
The chairman, who received the call during external business, replied with a slightly annoyed voice.
However, it didn't take even three seconds for the annoyance to turn into astonishment.
"What? Subspace? An inventory ability?"
It was exactly the ability he was looking for. No, not just the chairman, but also several countries.
Still, there was something to check first.
"That, are you sure it's been properly verified?"
The practicality of the ability. How many incidents were caused by rare occupations in the early days of the Gate crisis?
Considering the losses suffered as a result, it was necessary to verify it thoroughly.
"You saw it with your own eyes? Then that's enough. So, how big is it? You don't know that?"
The chairman felt his heart pounding.
Subspace. He didn't know how big it was. If it was only the size of a small backpack, it wouldn't be very useful.
'...But what if it's quite a large space?'
For example, if it was about the size of a small studio apartment? He had to, no, he absolutely had to recruit that talent.
It wasn't that he expected someone with Subspace ability to have the same power as an S-rank hunter.
Rather, it was the expectation that it could increase the survival rate of S-rank hunters, who were treated as national strategic assets and couldn't be converted into money.
'Of course, they have to have the qualities of a hunter.'
Subspace, he didn't expect them to have the combat talent of other A-rank or S-rank hunters. However, they had to have basic qualities.
There were quite a few who gave up their hunter lives because they couldn't adapt to the Gates, even with good abilities and skills.
In other words, ability and the qualities of a hunter. If they had both, the Subspace Awakened would be the top priority for recruitment.
For the future, and to increase the survival rate of the advance teams.
Level?
It didn't matter. They could be raised.
'Get them elixirs and Secret Arts, and teach them combat techniques.'
It would be nice if they fought better, of course, but he didn't expect that far. Subspace would be classified as support.
They just needed to protect themselves in the rear, next to the mages and healers. It would be even better if they took on the role of rear guard.
"What's the skill level? Ah, you said they didn't disclose their Status Window."
-Yes.
"Treat them politely at the workshop and keep a close eye on them. If you see any potential, you must recruit them."
The chairman added just in case.
"Did you understand properly? Keep a close eye on them, and, as I said before, be very polite. Don't make them uncomfortable under any circumstances."
-I will keep that in mind.
* * *
The Hunter Association's Talent Confirmation test was a welfare service for Awakened individuals. Like Awakened certification, it wasn't complicated.
It wasn't a test where they held and used each Weaponry. It ended in one second.
A rare occupation appraiser.
They used the skill 'Appraisal' to check which field the Awakened individuals' talents belonged to and inform them.
It was a process that all Awakened individuals went through because it reduced the effort of wasting time in fields where they had no talent.
For me, who had no information other than the fact that I had Subspace ability, it was exactly the test I needed.
"Mana will enter your body, but please accept it without resisting."
"Yes."
An alien Mana entered. It felt like it was briefly scanning me.
"Han Hye, you should go into swordsmanship."
"Swordsmanship?"
"Yes. I sense swordsmanship."
It was a vague answer, but I was satisfied enough. I was contemplating between swordsmanship and magic, but the result came out simply.
It would have been a disaster if a spear or axe had come out.
'It took about two hours to write the report.'
It took less than 20 minutes to register as an Awakened and confirm my talent.
Still, I was at the Hunter Association for over four hours. It was because of Uncle Deok-su's funeral.
If someone died inside a Gate but had no family, the Hunter Association would hold the funeral.
I came out early in the morning and participated in Uncle's funeral. Of course, there weren't many people.
It was just me and a few people who looked like non-Awakened hunters. He was a good person, so I prayed for his soul with a reverent heart.
I hope that dragon can be caught someday.
.
.
.
After returning home from the Association, I immediately learned the Secret Arts.
[You have learned Imperial Basic Swordsmanship (E-rank). Swordsmanship (F-rank) lv1 changes to Imperial Basic Swordsmanship (E-rank) lv1.]
It was an E-rank swordsmanship, but I was grateful.
Like the original me, most Awakened individuals have F-rank swordsmanship. It's because they learned it at swordsmanship dojos on Earth.
Unless they Awaken as a warrior and acquire a swordsmanship skill, awaken it on their own, or obtain a Secret Arts, it's almost always F-rank.
Knowledge about swordsmanship entered my head. My head hurt slightly as the information came in.
"Ugh."
As the headache disappeared, my hands itched. Was it because information about swordsmanship was hammered into my head?
I wanted to actually swing a sword. The situation was good, too.
'Thank you, Uncle.'
Yesterday, Uncle Cheolgi and I looked into Subspace a little. Subspace was a space of 6m in length, width, and height.
Uncle Cheolgi said that it could also be used as a training ground and gave me several training tools.
-You use it. I don't use it.
He said he had been collecting them in the warehouse, which he used in the past.
A training scarecrow with a low-grade Magic stone inside, an iron sword, a wooden sword, sandbags, etc.
It was a bit old because it was from a few years ago...
-You're not throwing away trash, are you?
-This bastard... These are things I received when I signed a dragon knight contract. They're more expensive than you think.
When I looked it up, they were really more expensive than I thought. Anyway, he gave me those things generously. Thanks to that, I picked up a wooden sword from the enriched Subspace.
It was a bit old, but it seemed to be a good product. Then I thought of Imperial Basic Swordsmanship.
-Position the hand holding the sword in front of the left chest. The back of the hand faces forward.
I moved the sword according to the information given by the Secret Arts. It was the first time I had made the movement. Even if I had the information, it was naturally clumsy.
I hit the training scarecrow made of low-grade Magic stone with the sword.
Thud- Thud-! Even though it was a shapeless scarecrow, the impact sound was loud. It was because the Magic stone at the bottom was emitting a Magical Field.
Because it was the same as the Magical Field of Awakened beings, it was naturally impossible to cut it without using Mana.
No matter how hard I swung, it would only bounce off.
The Magical Field would break if it received too much impact or was cut with Mana, but it could be recharged with Mana.
'Is it something like this?'
I realized that this was a defense-oriented swordsmanship. When I only received the information, I wondered why it moved like this...
When I moved it myself, I could understand. They were movements to block the enemy's attacks.
Block and cut, parry and stab, deflect and cut.
The movements were diverse, but the principle was similar. It was a swordsmanship of preemptive defense and counterattack that changed according to the opponent's attack.
Perhaps because I diligently attended swordsmanship dojos even during my porter days, I felt like I understood the principle.
As it was 'basic' swordsmanship, it wasn't complicated. It wasn't a flashy sword dance or a series of specific movements.
'I feel like I'm becoming more proficient as I move.'
From the proper posture of holding the sword to systematic defense and counterattack, it was the perfect swordsmanship for me, who had just Awakened.
I especially liked that it defended first.
Because surviving is the most important thing for all Awakened individuals.
As I caught my breath and looked at Subspace, I remembered what Uncle Cheolgi had said yesterday.
-It seems like there's something there, like you said. Weaponry and Secret Arts came out of Subspace.
-Right. I told you there's a secret.
-If the skill level goes up, the space will widen and better things may come out of it. Then comes the next.
-Next?
-Yeah. Since it was a D-rank Weaponry and an E-rank Secret Arts, maybe a C-rank Weaponry and a D-rank Secret Arts? Maybe a B-rank will come out next.
It was just a vague guess for now, but it wasn't an impossible story. All abilities have levels and 'grow.'
Of course, my Subspace will also grow. What will change accordingly was still unknown.
'There's definitely something there.'
Weaponry and Secret Arts, the choice between swordsmanship and Magic.
It seemed like a gift for someone who had just Awakened. Maybe I'll really get B-rank or A-rank swordsmanship later.
'Well, it'll take some time to raise the skill level.'
Raising the skill level isn't easy. In addition to repeated use, an understanding of the skill itself is required.
Or the skill level could increase by luck as a reward for subjugating a Gate.
Whatever secrets are in this Subspace, I'll be able to check it out after some time has passed.
Of course, I have to grow too.
'I want to raise my level quickly.'
That way, my skill level will also increase, my stats will increase, and I can check if there are better Weaponry and Secret Arts...
'Wait.'
Then the Elegant Sword placed next to the desk caught my eye.
[Elegant Sword (D-rank)]
-A sword used by the Swordmaster of Bogtan, Poongshin, when Curio was very young.
-The power of wind is imbued in the sword.
-Wind Slash (lv1) can be used when Strength and Agility are 15 or higher.
I was too out of my mind to remember, but this was definitely a sword that could use skills.
'Strength and Agility 15 or higher.' What are my stats right now?