Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Surpassing Baek Mu-hak
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In South Korea, there had been only one such genius—a prodigy in his early twenties who, right after finishing training, scored a 4th grade result.
The top Awakener in the country today, a Hunter who forged his own path.
The destroyer who stood unrivaled, unaffiliated with any guild, single-handedly collapsing countless portals—Baek Mu-hak was that very figure.
It was an unprecedented feat in South Korea, and even on a global scale, the number of people who had shown initial results and growth potential like Baek Mu-hak could be counted on two hands.
Universal 8.
The term for those superhumans who had reached the pinnacle of humanity, the supposed limit of 13th grade.
And just moments ago, Su-hyeok had produced results that surpassed even Baek Mu-hak, one of the Universal 8.
Yet his expression remained utterly calm.
His gaze showed not even the slightest flicker.
The staff member, who had already heard roughly about Su-hyeok from the Association and steeled himself mentally, was the one who couldn't hide his shock. Still, he didn't forget his duties.
"Please wait a moment. I'll send the final paperwork and issue your Hunter certification license."
The staffer forced an awkward smile as he quickly pressed a button under his desk.
"Understood."
Su-hyeok replied while staring at the results sheet, lost in deeper thoughts.
'Hmm... Earth's Awakeners seem stronger than I expected.'
Su-hyeok knew his own results were astonishing.
He was aware of the Universal 8's existence, and their growth stories were quite famous.
Right now, he had produced results that overwhelmed them.
But separately, every member of the current Universal 8 was a 13th-grade Awakener.
'Does that mean they're at least nearing the Harmony Realm, or have reached it?'
Su-hyeok's martial arts attainment was at the entry level of a first-rate martial artist. The Hunter Association had judged this as 6th grade.
Amazed as the staffer might be, Su-hyeok saw it differently.
His martial realm was indeed entry-level first-rate.
He still couldn't even manifest his internal energy externally in a tangible form.
But that didn't make him an ordinary first-rate martial artist, either.
On the contrary, he possessed overwhelming prowess even among first-rates.
Naturally, even among first-rates, skill levels varied widely.
A first-rate martial artist nearing the peak could easily handle three or four who had just entered the realm.
In Su-hyeok's case, his internal energy reserves were still low, and his mastery of techniques to wield it was insufficient, so he couldn't be called peak first-rate.
Hence, entry-level first-rate.
But beyond that, he had potentials and abilities others lacked.
Ren and Du meridians cleared, Unified Body state, and various other martial arts—factoring all that in, Su-hyeok could surpass realms, defeating even peak first-rates. With a bit of luck, he could topple even a true pinnacle expert from the Huan Continent.
Yet he had received a mid-tier 6th grade among Awakener ranks.
He couldn't help thinking Earth's Awakeners were stronger than anticipated.
But there was one thing Su-hyeok didn't know.
In the initial Awakener ranking exam, the Association evaluated based on mana quality, physical development, efficiency, reflexes, and the like. Machines and magical artifacts on Earth had limits in gauging a martial artist's control over internal energy or their esoteric techniques.
Unaware of this, Su-hyeok's mind grew even more tangled.
'Let me think... By Dimensional Alliance standards, humanity's racial potential limit is mid-tier, right?'
Racial potential.
As portals opened between dimensions, countless races became aware of each other.
Naturally, not all races were equal.
Just as potential varied within humanity, interspecies gaps were even wider.
No matter the training or fortuitous encounters, every race had a fixed growth ceiling.
That was racial potential.
And repeatedly stated, humanity's was rated mid-tier.
Elves were mid-high tier, while the Angel race of the Heavenly Realm—leaders of the Dimensional Alliance Earth belonged to—was high-tier.
'Just how powerful are Angels or Demons?'
A natural sense of wariness arose.
As portal boundaries crumbled, threats as great as the benefits Earth gained loomed nearby.
Thus the Dimensional Alliance formed, and Guardians and Hunters stepped up.
In this context, humanity—judged mid-tier despite having surprisingly strong individuals like Su-hyeok—would be utterly powerless against Demons, the Alliance's greatest foe.
Earth was in danger.
For Su-hyeok, with family to protect, it was unwelcome news.
'No, that's not right. Racial potential is just the Angels' metric.'
Su-hyeok thought of Shar.
Mid-high tier, Elf.
She was undeniably powerful.
Throughout training, her strength overwhelmed any Awakener he'd seen.
She didn't flaunt it, but in a one-on-one among instructors, defeat for Shar was unimaginable.
And Su-hyeok gauged her realm as Harmony Realm by Huan Continent standards.
A level achieved by only the top ten strongest martial artists on the continent.
He didn't know her standing among Elves, but she wasn't weak.
She was surely a standout powerhouse.
Crucially, in Huan Continent history, a rare few had surpassed Harmony Realm.
Su-hyeok himself hadn't reached that next realm.
Still, he had been the strongest because he stood at the absolute peak of Harmony Realm, right against the next wall. Gaps within realms grew wider at higher levels, just as among first-rates. Back then, Su-hyeok could take on ten entry Harmony experts alone.
'On Earth, surpassing that level is possible.'
Su-hyeok was growing at an astonishing speed compared to his Huan Continent days.
Natural, with memories and experience as foundation.
Plus the level-up bonuses.
He could shatter walls and advance realms.
It probably meant exceeding the racial potential limit set by Angels.
'No need to be bound by racial potential.'
But it also meant humanity was all the more endangered.
Another reason to amass greater, vaster power.
"Your license is ready."
"You can register it to your bracelet and use it right away."
In the meantime, the busy staffer addressed Su-hyeok.
"Ah, let me check."
Collecting his thoughts, Su-hyeok placed his right hand's five fingers on the silver bracelet.
A pure white light emanated from the Awakener-exclusive bracelet—made partly from mithril, a special metal procured by the Dwarf race—and scanned all his fingers.
The light then flared brightly, briefly piercing his eyes before vanishing.
Beep-!
With a familiar electronic tone, a green hologram projected into the air from the silver bracelet.
Name: Yang Su-hyeok Age: [Redacted] Awakener Grade: 6th South Korean Government Certified Su-hyeok let out a short gasp of admiration at the scene unfolding in an instant.
"Oh... Is this magic?"
The grade bracelet distributed to Awakeners was a kind of magical artifact.
"Yes. I hear it's crafted by Dwarf artisans with magic directly inscribed by Elves."
Qi—energy—flowed from the silver bracelet, devoid of any mechanical parts, shaping the certificate.
To Su-hyeok, sensitive to qi flow, it was all the more mystical.
"Impressive."
Su-hyeok admired again, smiling at the staffer.
"Can I go now? All done?"
"Ah, one moment. Not yet..."
Su-hyeok still had business here.
Of course, not with this low-level staffer.
Just then, one door to the exam room opened, and a man in his early thirties entered—dark sunglasses on, hair dyed reddish.
"Hey, nice to meet you! Yang Su-hyeok!"
Arms spread wide, he greeted loudly, approaching for a hug.
Startled by the sudden move, Su-hyeok stepped back quickly, frowning.
"Who are you?"
"Oops, my bad. Forgot to introduce myself."
The man raised his left hand.
Golden bracelet.
At least 9th grade Awakener.
Touching it, the same certificate appeared as Su-hyeok had seen.
11th-grade Guardian.
Among South Korea's top 1% of Awakeners, he bore another striking title.
Awakener Association Vice President, Oh Shin-woo.
"That's me. Mind if we chat for a bit?"
Oh Shin-woo slid down his sunglasses slightly, flashing a friendly grin.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Entering his office with Su-hyeok, Awakener Association Vice President Oh Shin-woo beamed and pointed to a rather worn sofa.
"Have a seat first."
Su-hyeok nodded silently and sat.
Meanwhile, Oh Shin-woo hummed a tune, grabbed the remote on his desk, and hit the power button.
Doo-doo doo-roo—doo doo-roo—doo doo-!
Soon, upbeat music filled the spacious office.
Matching the tune, his humming turned to singing.
"I'm too hot, hot damn. Called a police and a fireman!"
A famous song Su-hyeok knew well—Uptown Funk, a collab by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars. Back on Earth, Su-hyeok had listened often, so his shoulders bobbed lightly.
Approaching an old gas stove in the corner with a copper kettle atop, Oh Shin-woo shaped his hand like a gun and shouted.
"Hot damn!"
A thin stream of fire shot from his fingertips, igniting the stove.
Somehow eerie, yet it suited him.
"Weather's getting chilly lately, so I set it up. I hate the cold. Sit tight there—I'll whip up something amazing soon."
Shoulders bouncing by the stove, Oh Shin-woo grinned.
October already.
Not quite stove weather yet, but if he hated cold, nothing to say.
Su-hyeok nodded silently, closing his eyes to listen to the music while awaiting the "amazing" thing. He knew gas stove smells from school weren't healthy, but they felt nostalgic.
'Eccentric hobbies.'
Young, 11th-grade Guardian, Association Vice President.
Impressive enough, with quirky tastes.
Fortunately, the vibe wasn't bad.