The Heavenly Eye Awakens
Research Day 20.
“The world runs on a grand system. Systems exist everywhere, and awakening is merely one domain within it. The teacher called it the ‘System.’”
“It sounded like ordinary fatalism when you broke it down, but I decided to trust the teacher and follow along.”
Research Day 25.
“The teacher’s orders were cryptic. If I interpreted them correctly, he wanted me to make the body ‘input’ whatever the eyes saw. Honestly, I had no idea what he was talking about. Was he planning to create a golem?”
“I didn’t know. I just treated the patient as instructed.”
Research Day 31.
“These grotesque instruments of torture were all high-grade magical tools. When I asked the teacher in shock, he said they were made by the legendary blacksmith who forged legendary weapons. For the first time, the teacher frightened me.”
“What in the world is going on here?”
Research Day 40.
The research begins.
As Porter channeled mana, the scattered instruments rose into the air and attached themselves to Baek Yeon-woo, who lay on the bed.
It had begun.
Baek Yeon-woo clenched his teeth against the pain that seeped into his very bones. Moments later, he pushed himself up from the bed with a creak.
Sweat poured from his gaunt limbs like rain.
Porter examined his notes and raised his mana again. The dozen or so IV bags floating in the air drifted toward Baek Yeon-woo.
Thud!
Needles pierced the magically treated necklace.
Glug, glug. The drugs flowed in, making the veins in his neck writhe like snakes.
Porter glanced sideways to confirm.
The pain must be immense. No, given the ingredients involved, it was closer to torture than treatment.
Yet—
“Huff…… huff……”
Baek Yeon-woo showed no sign of it. Even as blood vessels bulged in his eyes from the agony, he steadied his breathing and kept his mind clear.
Good. Then……
“Level 1. Basic movements.”
The moment Porter spoke, the instruments activated.
They walked, sat, stood, jumped, waved their hands, and bent one knee as if tying a shoelace—every motion required in daily life.
The experiment continued.
As the level rose, the movements grew more intense. What had looked like simple gymnastics gradually transformed into martial arts.
Punches flew. Kicks snapped. Steps shifted.
Controlled motions, disciplined footwork, lightning-fast attacks paired with compact defense, movements that played with distance—this was the martial art of Yun Cho-a, Lee Shin’s left arm and the holder of Master of Martial Arts.
“Ugh……!”
As the movements intensified, the mana Baek Yeon-woo had desperately suppressed began to rampage.
Pain slipped through his tightly clenched teeth.
It felt as if his nerves were being carved apart.
His entire body seemed to melt away.
His joints felt like they were repeatedly disassembling and reassembling.
Even so—
Grind—
Baek Yeon-woo endured with everything he had.
This pain was not mere physical torment. It was the pain he had to overcome to begin a new life.
Lee Shin had said so without a doubt.
— “If you became a host for the Abyssal Worm like before, you could skip the pain. But living as a bug’s host is kinda creepy, don’t you think? And this big brother here really hates bugs. So how about our Yeonu suffers a little? I’ll buy you tteokbokki when it’s over.”
It was always like this.
Every night, Lee Shin visited Baek Yeon-woo’s hospital room and spouted such nonsense.
At first, the world-cursing Yeon-woo ignored him like an annoyance, but at some point he started responding.
Partly because of the sincerity of those nightly visits, and partly because it would be rude to someone trying to treat him…… anyway, that was how it was.
And what Lee Shin said next—when Baek Yeon-woo finally opened his heart and his symptoms began to improve—was while handing him a tablet filled with videos of famous hunters.
— “Yeonu, want big brother to tell you an interesting story? It’s really fun. Once upon a time……”
Once upon a time, there was a man with an SSS-rank eye. No one knew his name because there was no information. He was called the Eye of Lament because he shed tears of blood.
How did they know it was SSS-rank? Because his ability was absurd.
— “……He learned everything. Whatever he saw, he made it his own. For example, the techniques you’re watching on that tablet right now—he could make them his just by watching. Isn’t that amazing?”
— “And with one more trait, the man became a monster. He could implant what he learned with his eyes directly into his body.”
See A, become A. See B, become B.
If that was all, it would be mere copying—but it was not.
— “It’s a far higher concept than copying. Sync? Synchronization? Anyway, it forcibly hammers what you see into your body. That’s what we call mastery. You know what that means?”
— “It means application is possible.”
Application that turns A+B into C.
The ability to create and develop something new.
Just by watching……
And that monster was none other than you, Baek Yeon-woo.
— “Alright, I’ve explained it, so you can do it, right, our Yeonu?”
Even as sweat poured down, Baek Yeon-woo desperately etched his own movements into his eyes. Amid the complex motions, he chased after their true intent.
— “I divide martial-type Awakeners into two kinds. The instinct type who rely on innate talent, and the learning type built through effort and training. You’re the latter.”
Baek Yeon-woo’s foot cut through the air. The kick traced a far cleaner trajectory than before.
In that moment, Porter—who had been reviewing the data—looked up with widened eyes.
— “Your weapon is your eyes. Your eyes skip the learning process entirely. Widen your field of view. Look farther.”
Baek Yeon-woo’s pupils rapidly contracted and dilated as they tracked his own movements…… until something felt off. The motions overlapped like afterimages.
Those were the movements his future self would make.
— “You’ll see it. That eye will become your guide.”
He saw it!
Baek Yeon-woo’s eyes sparkled like stars.
In that fleeting instant, the movements he had watched on the tablet all night flashed by like a panorama.
He asked. Can I?
It answered. Yeah.
He slipped his fist into the panorama of passing motions.
A punch that shot out one beat faster.
He split his steps into half-beats. A knee kick flew off-beat. His footwork accelerated, momentum building with every movement.
The joints that had screamed now softened. The nerves that had felt shredded cooled like a lie. The body that had burned was now wrapped in a refreshing breeze.
Yet the instruments, which had been keeping pace, now creaked as they fell behind.
“Good heavens……!”
Porter, who had been watching, dropped his notes and covered his mouth.
Radiant streams of light poured from Baek Yeon-woo’s brilliantly moving body.
This was it.
Humanity’s greatest moment. The instant when body and soul shone brilliantly.
The gate to truth and mystery.
And a new beginning.
It was an awakening.
“So this was it. The teacher’s profound intent!!”
Lee Shin’s System Theory—the theory that would change the world—had been proven.
“Heh…… heh……”
Lee Shin thought.
Was everyone conspiring to surprise him today? First Lee Hye-jung, now this kid too?
The one who limped in on crutches and opened the representative office door was Baek Yeon-woo.
Baek Yeon-woo smiled brightly with his sharp face, his sky-blue eyes sparkling.
“I did it. Look.”
Lee Shin clutched his forehead and laughed for a long while.
He picked up the phone.
“Recruitment team leader, lower the shutters.”
The final piece had been found.
Mir Guild’s recruitment market was over.
And—
“Lord Sanwang, assemble the raid team and proceed with what we discussed earlier. As quickly as possible. Let’s depart tomorrow if we can.”
He had waited long enough.
Now, at last, it was time to run.
Ah. Of course, he had to keep his promise first.
“Let’s go eat tteokbokki.”
Rice cake or wheat cake?
Did you call your mom? Your clothes aren’t great. Want me to buy you a mink coat too?
Lee Shin threw an arm around Baek Yeon-woo’s shoulders and disappeared toward the other side of the guild.
“Wrapping up? That article is wrong. It’s absolutely not over!”
‘Guild Section,’ alongside ‘Amazing League,’ was one of the three major analysis channels for the national team. It boasted the longest history among analysis programs and enjoyed steady popularity.
And Han Seok-ki, who had been the main panelist here for ten years, rustled his newspaper and scolded sternly.
“The Stove League isn’t just a period for transfers. It’s when guilds review internal contracts and draw up plans! It’s the time to prepare for the next season. Calling this crucial period ‘over’ just because transfers are done? That’s not right!”
While Guild Section focused on hunters and strategy, and Amazing League went for a light 2030s vibe, ‘Guilds on Air’ used former national representative Han Seok-ki to discuss the inner workings of the guild world.
In other words, the atmosphere was a bit ‘old-school.’
The young host, brought in to change that mood, forced a smile and tried to smooth things over.
“……Haha, please calm down, sir. Still, what viewers are most curious about are the signings and transfers, aren’t they?”
“Whew, I got a little excited thinking about the old days. My apologies. You’re right, host. Fans don’t need to worry about such things. Transfers are the most fun part, after all.”
“Today’s the day we grade those transfers, isn’t it? My heart’s already racing. Shall we take a look?”
“Haha, let’s do that.”
They started from the 20th and 19th places, the relegation zone, and worked their way up.
Most of it was praise. Han Seok-ki was famous for well representing guild positions, as befitting a former national representative. The key was explaining their circumstances, why guilds had no choice but to act this way, and telling guild backstories like old tales.
Of course, it wasn’t all praise.
“Haemu Guild…… hmm.”
“Haemu Guild is currently receiving tremendous praise from experts. Through their big deal with Mir Guild, they acquired Park Jeong-seok and quickly secured their second team’s roster.”
“While other guilds were caught up in the Hwarang drama, they moved swiftly to sign key names and strengthen their roster. It’s clearly a very smart choice.”
“But your expression suggests otherwise, sir.”
“I have some doubts about this one.”
“Huh? You mean Hunter Park Jeong-seok? Isn’t he being called a ‘verified rough diamond’ among experts? For reference, the Haemu Guild representative praised him as the post-Hwarang.”
“If that’s what the experts think, then fine…… but I fundamentally doubt whether that hunter has what it takes to reach League 1. No matter how I look at it, it seems like Representative Lee Shin pulled off a scam……”
“Ha! Ha!! Ha!! We’ll be right back after these messages.”
……That was how Han Seok-ki had kept his seat for ten years—unhesitatingly swinging when it was time to hit. That was why he earned the nickname ‘Han Chori.’
And this approach only grew stronger as they moved up the rankings.
“Royal Sword focused too much on Baekgeom Guild. I’m not saying ignore the derby, but getting so absorbed in it that you throw away the season is a foolish choice……”
“Shinseong Guild is at least starting to get their system in order. I’ll give them credit for that. However, they still haven’t solved the dealer problem. That’s a serious issue……”
“Baekgeom Guild re-signed the ‘Sword Master,’ but Hwarang’s departure is by no means desirable. In my view, that hole is going to be quite large……”
“Perhaps the biggest victim of this Hwarang drama is Kirin Guild. Representative Han Jeong-do must be dumbfounded. Suddenly he has to worry about not just the Sanwang derby but the ‘Hwarang derby’ as well……”
The conversation flowed and flowed until it reached the inevitable guild.
The guild that experts unanimously called the final winner of the Stove League.
Mir Guild.
“If I had to pick one truly proper representative, I would choose Representative Lee Shin without hesitation.”
“Haha, this is not the network’s opinion……”
“Look. The miraculous promotion from League 4 to League 1. The unprecedented 131-round record race. This young representative has already proven his ability here.”
“He’s done a lot.”
“Representative Lee Shin knows exactly what a representative’s role is.”
He had already said so in his autobiography.
A representative, he said, must never be kind.
“Sometimes he became a madman, sometimes a lunatic. Occasionally he even turned into a clown to draw attention. And every time? Mir Guild grew stronger. Unbelievably so.”
The ‘supply gate’ that burst open with Lee Shin’s tears in League 4.
Yongwanggung and Mir City in League 3.
The bubble incident and the Lee Do derby in League 2.
“The only unverified aspect of Representative Lee Shin was his performance in the ‘Stove League.’ But this time? I couldn’t help but be impressed by this young representative.”
He neatly organized the squad through the big deal with Haemu Guild. He filled the gaps with quality signings. And he capped it off by acquiring Hwarang, the star of this Stove League.
“In this year’s Stove League—called the worst in history—this young representative took it in his hands and shook it.”
“But there’s talk that he signed too many healers……”
“I believe he has a plan for that as well. After all, his reaction was incredibly fast. This isn’t the move of someone without foresight!”
“In that case,”
the host interjected smoothly.
“Are you saying, sir, that Mir Guild is the final winner of this Stove League?”
“That is not the case.”
Impressive was impressive, but accuracy mattered.
“As I said at the start of the broadcast, the Stove League isn’t just about transfers. There’s still much to do. Guild organization, front office organization, and among them, raid team organization.”
“I see. Because they’ve brought in talent from all over.”
As failures elsewhere showed, signing wasn’t the end. The work of gathering and organizing the acquired talent was essential.
And once that talent was organized—
“They must be forged into a team. That’s the homework left for Lee Shin and Mir Guild.”
“If they manage to do that……”
“Then……”
Han Seok-ki nodded.
“Mir Guild will be the final winner of this Stove League.”
At the peak of a certain mountain.
The Mir raid team stood at the summit, staring down with dumbfounded expressions.
“The representative said it wasn’t the peak……”
“……Did we really come here?”
“Hahaha! This is hilarious!!”
“Dad…… I think we came to a weird place.”
Amid the noisy commotion, Lee Shin pushed through the raid team and stepped forward.
Dressed in hiking clothes with a backpack, Lee Shin—transformed into a perfect K-hiker—stood at the edge of the cliff. With the wind whipping through his hair, he turned and raised his hand high.
“Spring camp, we’ve arrived!!”
Below the cliff stretched endless blue lights.
There lay gates—unauthorized gates—stretching on without end.
Indeed.
This place was a gate danger zone.
North Korea.