The day of the level measurement arrived.
I woke up as usual, did some stretching, and had breakfast. It was just a procedure to check my skills, but Yoon-hee, sitting across from me, seemed to be going out of her mind.
“I can’t believe you’re a level 8...”
She had been reacting like that ever since she heard about it when we went back home the last time.
“Is it that surprising?”
“Isn’t it weirder that you’re so calm? It’s not like you’re anything else, you’re a level 8!”
Her voice had been quite loud since morning.
“You could rake in all the money if you really wanted to. No, money isn’t the issue. Just say what you want and you’ll have it all. The respect of other Awakened people is a bonus, and the attention...”
But I was more interested in the non-arrest privilege. It’s what started all this.
“What will you do if I become level 8?”
“Why are you asking me?”
“If people start paying attention to me, you’ll get attention too.”
There were a few reasons why Yoon-hee would get attention, other than because she’s my sister.
The fact that she belonged to the Sacred Guild, and she’s already distinguished herself from others with her skills.
She called herself an ultra beauty, but she was indeed pretty enough to attract more attention than me later on.
“I’ll just have to enjoy it. I’m already getting quite a bit of attention just for being from the Sacred Guild, so I’ll take this opportunity to show off my brother’s skills. Isn’t this just like being impress with a male idol?”
What a dream. It’s not like that would happen.
“Wake up.”
“Hmp.”
It’s like she couldn’t hear me.
“Do well in the level measurement. Even if you don’t do well, I’ll always cheer you on, so don’t be discouraged. Fighting!”
“Yeah.”
With Yoon-hee cheering me on, I arrived at the Korean Awakeners’ Central Center in Jongno, Seoul. This place hosted various events, including nationwide guild union meetings and exchanges with awakened individuals from other countries.
I met Jung Da-hyun at the main entrance.
“Mr. Jun-ho.”
“Miss Da-hyun.”
“......”
Jung Da-hyun looked at me intently, wearing a somewhat dissatisfied expression. I wonder what mistake I made, and then I recalled her request to treat her more casually last time.
“It’s because I’m still not used to it. I’ll try to make an effort gradually.”
“Yes.”
Da-hyun and I entered inside.
“Level 8 measurement checks the manipulation method and mobilization of Force. So, there’s a minimum standard.”
Force manipulation and Force mobilization were the areas I was most confident in. The Level 8 measurement didn’t seem much different from the previous one I did.
Until I heard the next part.
“Moreover, you’ll be facing a Level 7 awakened individual, so the process of suppression is crucial.”
“What part is essential?”
“The less you cause injuries, the better.”
“Excuse me?”
Without realizing it, I stopped in my tracks. I doubted what I just heard. In my mind, suppression equates to death. No matter how much one tried to compromise, it would still result in severe injuries.
Should I break their arms and legs as usual to suppress them and then use recovery potions? My head felt like it’s spinning.
My surprised reaction startled Jung Da-hyun, too.
“Kil... what if I injured them?”
I barely managed to contain the word “kill”.
“That’s because it’s the second test, and none of the people who passed the first failed the second.”
“......”
I asked why there was such a test, and was told that overwhelming strength and control were part of the test.
It’s easier for me to kill ten level 7 Awakeners.
My serious expression puzzled Jung Da-hyun.
“If it’s Junho, I’m sure you will do well. Uhm, right?”
“I’ll give it a try.”
This measurement might be the most challenging obstacle in my life.
***
The Level 8 measurement was conducted only with government officials, acquaintances of the examinee, and invited observers.
Typically, invited observers included guild members and foreign dignitaries who would provide certification. Even though Choi Jun-ho was not part of any guild, the Sacred Guild was appointed to him.
As a foreign dignitary, the United States, a long-time ally who had been observing Choi Jun-ho, also sent a delegation.
From the Sacred Guild, Lee Se-hee, who could be called the face of the guild, was present.
“I thought I should take a look at Choi Jun-ho since you paid attention to him. But to see you at the Level 8 measurement site, it’s surprising.”
The Black Dragon, Baek Gun-seo, a Level 8 Superhuman and a member of the Sacred Guild, also participated.
A former vassal of the Sacred Group, Baek Gun-seo, was a person of the Sacred Guild to the bone. His contributions to the Sacred Guild had been so great that it was often said that the guild could not exist without him.
Privately, he was a sword brother to the Chairman of the Sacred Group, and was referred to as an uncle by Lee Se-hee.
“Se-hee, you’ve never been interested in men.”
“If you put it that way, people will misunderstand.”
“There is a time and a place for being interested in men.”
“Oh, come on. You have no intention of listening.”
Baek Gun-seo smiled, then wiped the smile off his face as he looked down at the measuring station.
“The rumors I heard were quite concerning. They say his personality is quite strong. The fact that he recently appeared means there are still many things unknown about him.”
“Yes, but his skills are real. His younger sister has incredible talent too.”
“Wasn’t she named Choi Yoon-hee? I heard about her too. It seems they are a talented sibling duo.”
“Please meet her sometime. If she gets the opportunity, she’ll grow rapidly.”
“I will.”
Baek Gun-seo was not one to waste words, so Lee Se-hee’s expression brightened. Then she spotted Jung Da-hyun coming up the stairs after dropping off Choi Jun-ho and raised her hand.
“Da-hyun, over here!”
Coming closer, she gave Lee Se-hee a glance and then bowed to Baek Gun-seo.
“Hello, Director.”
“It’s been a while, Da-hyun. You’ve been training hard during that time. You’ve grown a lot. But still, you should contact me more often. I almost forgot your face.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s just that you’re determined to follow your own path, and I can’t interfere with that. But remember, the Sacred Guild is also your home, so don’t hesitate to come by anytime.”
“Thank you.”
“Instead of nagging like that, it would have been better if Uncle just said that you wanted her to visit you first.”
“Then wouldn’t I look too eager?”
Baek Gun-seo’s words made Lee Se-hee and Jung Da-hyun burst out laughing.
The cheerful conversation was interrupted by the arrival of another guest.
“Excuse me.”
Lee Se-hee pointed to a group of foreigners approaching from the distance. It was a delegation of American observers. Their eyes locked on the blonde woman in the lead.
“Anna Christine.”
A headhunting specialist who specialized in seducing males with her lovely looks and voluptuous body.
Not only did she have beauty but also impeccable skills.
When Anna Christine faced Lee Se-hee, she smiled and greeted in English.
“Hi, Princess Lee. How have you been?”
“You as well, Anna. I didn’t expect you to come in person.”
“Of course, I had to come. It’s a historic moment.”
“Are you sure you don’t have something else on your mind?”
“Well, who knows what kind of thoughts you’re referring to?”
Lee Se-hee gazed deeply into Anna Christine’s meaningful smile. Anna Christine didn’t avoid that gaze either. Sparks flew between the two.
The fierce war of words ended with the announcement that the measurements would begin.
“We’ll watch from a closer place. See you.”
Anna Christine, who slightly lowered her head, moved away from the group. Lee Se-hee, quietly observing her back, muttered.
“It feels uncomfortable in a subtle way.”
“Me too.”
“Haha, shouldn’t we worry about another thing? Anna Christine’s charisma is extraordinary.”
Baek Gun-seo expressed concern.
Especially for young men, Anna Christine’s beauty was lethal. Choi Jun-ho was in his mid-20s, the prime age when one’s blood was boiling. A newly emerged Level 8 Superhuman could easily fall into the hands of the United States.
Anna Christine’s nickname was succubus, and it’s not for no reason. She could enchant someone when they least expect it.
However, Lee Se-hee’s reaction was different from what Baek Gun-seo had expected.
“Uncle, do you know one of the most useless worries in the world? It’s worrying that Choi Jun-ho might fall for a woman.”
“What?”
“You’ll know when you see it. You’ll find out what kind of person that man is.”
Remembering the moment when her confidence in her looks, which had pierced the sky, plummeted overnight, Lee Se-hee smiled bitterly.
Choi Jun-ho believed in fairness for everyone. Whatever she experienced, Anna Christine would experience it too.
After a while, the Level 8 measurement began.
***
The first of the Level 8 measurement to be tested was the Force Manipulation.
[The Force Manipulation test will begin.]
With the guidance voice, five blue stones the size of ping-pong balls appeared in front of me.
Polar Magic Stones.
Although they possessed Force, they had a repelling nature when coming into contact with other Force. Similar to how the same poles of magnets repelled each other.
It was often used to detect the Force, and it was also used as a ranged weapon for hunters who use the repulsion of the opposite pole to attack from a distance.
[If you hit the polar magic stones with Force within the time limit of 5 minutes, you pass.]
They said this should demonstrate my use of Force, but there was a cunning trap hidden within it. It meant that even if the polar magic stone was repelled, the people in charge would observe everything, including predicting the path and calculating the counterforce. This test would likely include controlling those variables as well.
It required quite a few skills since one had to control the Force as if it were part of their body and place the polar magic stone under their control to manipulate its movement.
But was this difficult?
For me, it’s easy.
The fact that they were polar magic stones and that they repel Force ultimately required nothing but reaction time.
Even that could be easily surpassed with overwhelming speed. When one occupied the shortest path, everything became the easiest in the world.
[We will begin the measurement.]
Upon hearing those words, I activated the landmine and fired them at the polar magic stones.
The clear condition was simple.
I just had to be fast enough that the polar magic stones couldn’t react.
Thump! Thud! Thump!
In an instant, the five polar magic stones were hit by the landmines and scattered to the ground. The timer was set at 4:59.
One second reaction time. It seemed like the lack of a life-threatening threat made me react a bit sluggishly.
[Congratulations, you passed. The next test will measure the amount of Force.]
The next test measures the amount of Force, and it’s divided into two main parts. First was proving that one possessed the minimum required Force to be recognized as a Level 8.
If one failed to meet this standard, they would be deemed unable to sustain combat as a Level 8 and wouldn’t be recognized as such.
The second part was the Force mobilization, where they measured how much Force one could wield in a short period. It’s almost like an output test.
One must meet the minimum output criteria to be recognized as a Level 8 with significant power.
What I had before me was a spent and hollowed-out demon heart.
It’s equivalent to a level 7 danger level, meaning that filling this would signify surpassing the limits of level 7. The time it would take would probably determine the output criteria.
[Measurement begins.]
I moved the Force and pushed it into the creature’s heart in one go.
Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!
In an instant, the loud alert sound rang out as it surpassed 70%, then 80%, and finally broke through 90% to fill it to 100%. I stopped manipulating the Force, but in the meantime, the Force that had been pushed in caused cracks in the creature’s heart and shattered it.
Crack!
With it destroyed, I reached out for the rampaging Force. The rampaging Force came under my control, spinning gently in a circle before disappearing into my fingertips.
[Error Occurred! Error Occurred!]
A chorus of voices chimed in with the notification. They were discussing what had just happened.
The reason for this happening was simple.
My force capacity turned out to be greater than they had thought, and the output was strong as well. It was so fierce, almost bloodthirsty. The demon heart was too weak to withstand it.
[You passed. Congratulations.]
A moment later, the announcement of my success came, and I passed both events.
I passed the first round of the measurement test.
***
The measurement test was expected to be challenging.
Although Choi Jun-ho was expected to be at level 8, Baek Gun-seo thought that the first measurement wouldn’t be easy.
As if to ridicule those expectations, Choi Jun-ho easily passed.
“It’s unbelievable.”
Baek Gun-seo looked puzzled as he recalled the test he had seen just now.
“Handling polar magic stones in just one second? How fast can he be...?”
It took him five minutes just to touch five of them.
What was even more astonishing came next.
When the demon heart couldn’t withstand the pressure and broke, Baek Gun-seo shook his head.
“That’s a ridiculous amount of power. Just by looking at the amount of Force and the ability to maneuver it, he’s already at level 8.”
Quantity, speed, and power were all top-notch. It was the first time he had seen such talent.
If he was to face Choi Jun-ho, what would happen?
The thought that it wouldn’t be easy filled my head. A monster had appeared.
The negative perception before the start of the measurement had long vanished.
Shortly after, the second round of measurements began.
“Ham Ik-cheol.”
The selection of combatants for the second round following the Level 8 measurement involved intense competition behind the scenes. The reason was that Level 8 and combat experience lead to a higher realm, making them significant sources of nourishment.
As a result, most of the candidates were either from the same guild or backed by the government.
Ham Ik-chul was the second-in-command of the Awakened Security Office, and him, being in his early 40s, made him a strong candidate to become the next Level 8.
Known for utilizing a Gift called “Magical Bullet” with his gun, he was an excellent long-range attacker and had compensated his close combat weaknesses with a 12th-degree black belt in martial arts.
The battle lasted for an astonishing 5 minutes.
Baek Gun-seo, who was watching the battle, furrowed his brow.
“This is insane.”
***
The second measurement was in the top five most difficult battles of my life.
To subdue the opponent without inflicting injuries.
There was no such thing as a battle without injury.
To me, who was best at killing, this was a disaster and a trial. It was a demanding task not to hurt someone when fighting them.
I focused more than ever, afraid that even one strike could be fatal.
Every time I exploited a gap, I detonated landmines in the wrong place without using my hands. I
The five minutes, which felt longer than eternity, passed.
I could have killed Ham Ik-cheol 27 times in those five minutes, yet I managed to succeed in subduing him without inflicting a single wound.
The completely disoriented guy bowed his head, having lost his will.
He left without leaving any presence. Still, it’s better than losing his life.
After a moment, the notification voice echoed and spread out.
[You have passed. Congratulations.]
It’s finally over.
Now I understood why people say Level 8 measurements were difficult.
Indeed, killing was easier.
While waiting for the remaining procedures to finish, a group of foreign spectators approached me.
Among them, a woman at the front smiled brightly and raised her hand towards me.
“Hi.”
***
For Anna Christine, the arrival of the new Level 8 was nothing new. There were Level 8s all over the world, and several appeared every year.
She had met the best Awakeners in her profession, so terms like “genius” or “monster” did not impress her anymore.
However, this time was different. She couldn’t shake off the excitement that ran through her body.
“...Ha!”
Anna Christine shook her head after her exclamation. She was still reeling from what had just happened.
The Superhuman born today was special. He was in his mid-20s, which meant young age, and young age meant potential. Potential led to progress and high skills.
The number of cases handled by Choi Jun-ho in a short period was astounding. A 100% success rate in cases meant a wealth of combat experience.
Especially in the last measurement, the power he displayed was so strong that it was beyond belief.
Being in his 20s and possessing such a rich combat experience? Moreover, he had a firm sense of justice, firmly suppressing villains?
If Hollywood made a movie like this, it would be criticized for lack of plausibility.
'There’s no need to say more. He is the greatest that will never appear again in my life.'
However, the obstacle was that Choi Jun-ho was affiliated with a government agency, and once he became Level 8, the priority negotiation rights would belong to South Korea for three years.
Nevertheless, what was astonishing was that even after three years, Choi Jun-ho’s age was 28 years old. In American age, he was 27. It was an unbelievable level of talent. Despite wasting three years with a government contract, Choi Jun-ho’s value was still unmatched in history.
Anna Christine believed in the word ‘stamp of the heart’.
For that, she must unquestionably steal Choi Jun-ho’s heart.
If he had the willingness to join her, the South Korean government would inevitably release him.
Although the vast territory of the United States was called an extremely harsh hunting environment for Awakeners, the treatment there was at the world’s highest level. She was confident she could persuade him enough.
Persuasion was, indeed, her most confident area.
After completing her calculations, she stretched her body and put on a confident smile. Her black two-piece emphasized her cleavage, her small waist, her voluptuous pelvis, and her shapely curves were her pride and her best weapon that had enchanted countless Awakened men.
“Hi.”
As she approached, Choi Jun-ho’s appearance became clearer.
If he wasn’t a level 8, you’d think he was an actor. The more I looked at him, the more charming and handsome he seemed.
“Jun-ho! Congratulations on becoming a Level 8, and may your future be blessed.”
Close enough that their bodies almost touched, she spoke in a whisper-like manner, so close that even their breaths could mingle.
A blend of sweet perfume and feminine pheromones, complemented by the appeal of a rich blonde hair and voluptuous figure that men yearn for.
After she appealed to the other, she took a step back and gazed fixedly at Choi Jun-ho’s face.
Usually, at this point, 99 out of 100 times, a man would come closer. But seeing Choi Jun-ho frowning, she sensed something unusual.
“Hey, Jun-ho?”
“If you came to Korea, you should speak Korean.”
“What?”
“I don’t think you’re swearing, so I’ll let you off the hook.”
With a light click of his tongue, Choi Jun-ho turned and walked away.
“......”
Anna Christine, faced with such a cold shoulder for the first time in her life, was at a loss for words.
Lee Se-hee, watching the scene, grabbed her stomach, stopping herself from laughing.
