In the end, Cheon Myeong-guk left with a statement that the government would consider the non-arrest privilege positively.
He must have decided to believe my words about controlling my power.
Jung Ju-ho exclaimed as he looked at me.
“It’s like your tongue is flying more and more as time goes on.” (T/N: A slang used to playfully or sarcastically describe someone who is talking excessively or non-stop)
“Thank you.”
“Especially the two-track strategy with immunity privilege and non-arrest privilege was truly astonishing. Wow! If I were the Director of the Awakened Security Office, my head might have exploded.”
“A two-track strategy?” (T/N: Typically refers to an approach that involves pursuing two parallel or simultaneous paths in order to achieve a particular goal.)
“Weren’t you aiming for non-arrest privilege from the beginning?”
Not really. I seriously pursued both immunity privilege and non-arrest privilege.
Back when I was the Blood Master, I didn’t need negotiations. What I proposed was the final offer, and the other side had no choice but to accept.
But this time, I could only achieve one of the two.
Inwardly, I thought I had failed to negotiate.
“I was also aiming for immunity privilege.”
“Honestly, that’s impossible. If you had tried to obtain it until the end, would Director Cheon have given up?”
“Is that so?”
“You might not think so, but the power of immunity privilege is immense.”
Just the budget allocated to awakened individuals for a year exceeds 100 trillion.
According to Jung Ju-ho’s words, a Level 8 Transcendent gained the authority to participate in operations and, by interfering in budget matters, they also held immunity privileges. This implied that even if they committed tremendous misconduct, it could not be prevented.
“I didn’t know that.”
“Why did you bring up immunity privilege, then?”
“I was trying to change the clause about how villains are captured.”
For example, when apprehending villains outside the city, preemptive measures were widely recognized, or the right to expedite judgment was enhanced.
The excessive suppression of villains became a problem due to petty criminals lurking in the city. However, villains outside the city carried firearms and used all sorts of cowardly methods to launch attacks, so it’s best to eliminate them immediately upon sight.
“...It’s a relief that you’re not granted immunity privileges.”
Jung Ju-ho patted his chest.
“Isn’t it justified?”
“It is. I also hope for revisions. But honestly, it’s horrifying to think of you exercising that right.”
It’s a response I didn’t find appealing. Ironically, crime rates have dropped because of me, and even frontline government hunters who hunt villains were now also having the same realization.
Could it be that the world truly didn’t understand me, just as Berserker claimed?
“It’s a good thing you didn’t mention Berserker.”
“Because he’s a hidden trump card.”
“But if it’s revealed later, it could lead to unnecessary misunderstandings. It’s better to inform Director Cheon at the right time.”
“I’ll do my best not to get caught for now.”
“What if Berserker starts blabbering about it?”
Hmm. Somehow, if it’s Berserker, that might indeed happen.
However, one thing was clear.
“Who would believe that lunatic’s words?”
“......”
“And Berserker is more perceptive than you’d think.”
“That lunatic?”
“Yes. Surprisingly, he has his sane moments.”
Jung Ju-ho didn’t seem to believe me at all. Berserker was a nutcase, but he’s a sensible nutcase.
But I still couldn’t bring him for a face-to-face conversation.
Should I set up a surprise meeting?
As I was leaving, I paused when I saw the countless messages on my phone.
Berserker - measured at Level 8? Heh, congratulations.
Berserker - You’re at Level 8. Did you deliberately set the trap?
Berserker - The world still seems to underestimate you.
Berserker - Some fools will jump in without understanding the topic.
Berserker - I’m doing well.
Berserker - [Attached Image] [Attached Image] [Attached Image] [Attached Image] [Attached Image] [Attached Image] [Attached Image] [Attached Image] [Attached Image] [Attached Image]
.
.
.
...This lunatic was now taking pictures of what he’s eating and sending them to me.
Next time, I might just smash his smartphone.
***
When I visited Cheongju, my parents, who were not so optimistic about me going to Seoul, were now more opened to the idea of me living there when they heard I had reached Level 8.
They decided they’d rather live enjoying their child’s success than hold them back in the provinces. It was a comforting thought for me, too.
Due to the spread of demons and villains expanding their influence, Seoul, which had become the safest city in South Korea, saw its property prices skyrocket. Even if our parents sold all their assets and came here, it would be difficult to find a proper place to live.
Yoon-hee and I discussed how we would manage our finances. Yoon-hee mentioned taking out a loan, but I stopped her, saying that I would soon be hunting down a demon.
“If you say so, I’ll gratefully go along with it, Oppa. It seems I get to benefit from having a capable big brother.”
She smiled, as if saving money was a delight. Was there a reason to save? Had she found a boyfriend, perhaps?
“About checking the possibility of me having a Gift, do we need any other preparations?”
“No.”
“Really?”
“It’s like a fingerprint. It’s already engraved in you.”
“This is going to be a big deal if it gets out, right?”
“Maybe.”
“No, with such a groundbreaking discovery, why is the response like that? If you let Se-hee Unnie know, it’ll be incredible! Commercialize it, and you can sit on a pile of money too.”
Yoon-hee said with a glint in her eye. But I didn’t want to talk about my abilities related to the Gift.
I didn’t plan to reveal this ability to anyone except a few trustworthy individuals. Though Se-hee had credibility, she’s essentially from a conglomerate family, so I decided to think about it a bit more.
“Well, I guess there’s no other choice.”
Yoon-hee accepted it obediently.
Today was the day we’re going to learn about Yoon-hee’s Gift. And to prepare for any potential situations, Jung Da-hyun agreed to help.
Actually, we didn’t need to prepare to this extent, but it’s the first attempt, so I exercised caution.
A while later, with the sound of the doorbell, Jung Da-hyun appeared.
Wearing a black breeze shirt dress, Jung Da-hyun exuded a feminine charm unlike her usual self.
“Welcome, Unnie!”
Like a puppy that ran towards food, Yoon-hee clung to Jung Da-hyun, causing a commotion.
“Hello, Yoon-hee. Jun-ho Oppa, hello.”
“Huh, ‘Oppa’?”
“Yeah. Since he’s going to have a higher position than me now, I decided to call him ‘Oppa’. Calling him Mr. Choi feels a bit awkward.”
“Hehe, really?”
I felt a little awkward, but I didn’t let it show.
“...Saying the obedient cat climbs the stove first, Se-hee Unnie should step up too.” (T/N: This idiom is used to suggest that even a well-behaved or obedient individual might take bold actions when necessary or when facing certain circumstances.)
“Choi Yoon-hee, get ready.”
After calling Yoon-hee, who was muttering meaningfully, I spoke to Jung Da-hyun.
“What we need to do today is to be prepared for any unexpected situation and use recovery potions.”
“Yes.”
I handed two recovery potions to Jung Da-hyun. Then, I explained to Yoon-hee how to recognize her Gift.
My unique Gift, Blood Absorption, took away the opponent’s Gift by consuming their blood. To be precise, it’s a replication. Replicating a Gift was most effective with the blood from the heart, and the farther away from the heart, the less likely it was to copy the Gift.
As a result, I had this thought.
If I could read the information inscribed in the blood of a hunter who couldn’t open their Gift, was it possible to unlock their Gift?
There were two types of Gift unlocking: innate unlocking and acquired unlocking. For acquired unlocking, I wondered if it would be easier if one identified a direction with potential and made efforts in that direction.
Today, I intended to read the Gift information inscribed in Yoon-hee’s blood.
“Let’s begin.”
“Yeah.”
Swoosh!
“...!”
When my finger poked Yoon-hee’s heart area, about a finger’s length of it penetrated into her skin.
Yoon-hee, whose eyes had widened to the point of tearing, twisted, but Jung Da-hyun supported her and quickly applied a recovery potion.
I lifted the bloodstained finger and absorbed the blood. Within it, I tried to identify the types of Gifts Yoon-hee could possess.
It wasn’t perfect because it wasn’t heart blood, but based on the experiences I had accumulated, I delved into identifying and categorizing the Gifts Yoon-hee could potentially unlock.
Sure enough, there were various kinds of Gifts.
The ability to move 10 meters to the left or right with a horizontal step, the ability to cleanly remove foreign substances, and the ability that slightly increased energy storage capacity by eating.
All of them were useless Gifts. Then, as the last detected Gift caught my attention, my eyes sparkled.
“Choi Yoon-hee.”
“Ouch, I’m barely alive. There’s even a hole in my chest. It hurts like crazy. Do you have something? It’s not like there’s nothing, right?”
I nodded my head in response to her anxious question.
“I have a few. And among them, I found something useful.”
“What is it?”
“Indomitable.”
“Indomitable? Never heard of it.”
I had only seen this Gift once. Its power was truly formidable.
“It’s a unique Gift. Even if you’re exhausted and your strength is depleted, you can exert your full power until you’re completely drained.”
Awakened individuals were also human, so ultimately, their attack power was determined by their stamina and strength. The difference between being at 100% and 10% strength was stark, and the approach of inducing the opponent’s stamina to be depleted was common.
However, Indomitable could unleash 100% power even at 10% strength. The person facing the enemy had to endure attacks that didn’t lose power from start to finish.
“Isn’t that incredibly good?”
“From the beginning, it’s impossible to exert full power. Harsh training must follow.”
Only when those drops of sweat accumulate and accumulate, forming a river, could one truly unleash 100% of their combat power. Yoon-hee, who met my eyes, screamed in terror.
“Wait, wait! Stop! Pause your thoughts!”
“Why?”
“Your expression isn’t a joke, right now? You’re definitely planning something!”
“That’s the only way to use Indomitable.”
I no longer concealed my true feelings.
It’s nothing personal. I was here only to help Yoon-hee grow.
“Don’t be ridiculous! It’s nothing personal? You were excited to let me roll around!”
“When did I?”
“Right now, the corners of your mouth curled up.”
I must have really gotten used to this kind of peace. Revealing emotions to this extent. As I touched the corners of my mouth with my hand, Yoon-hee shouted.
“See! You’re excited now! The corners of your mouth didn’t raise from the beginning, did they?”
“Da-hyun. Can you help?”
“Yes, Oppa. ‘Indomitable’, I heard it’s a rare Gift. Yoon-hee, let’s go to the training ground quickly. That’s the only way to open the Gift as soon as possible.”
“...I thought Da-hyun Unnie was on my side. To think that the instructor and assistant instructor were in cahoots. This is why it’s frustrating for someone like me who’s not part of the National Security Agency! I want to join the National Security Agency too!”
“If you say that, Se-hee will be disappointed. Yoon-hee, we’re putting in effort for you.”
“Could you maybe put in a reasonable amount of effort?”
“I’ll do my best to support you.”
Da-hyun and I took Yoon-hee to the training ground.
Soon after, with Yoon-hee’s joyful shout, the training began.
***
After negotiating with Cheon Myeong-guk, the government finally granted Choi Jun-ho’s demands.
He was granted non-arrest privilege and began working as an affiliated Transcendent of the government.
<The Birth of the Youngest Level 8 Transcendent!>
<The New Transcendent who slew the Puppeteer!>
<Republic of Korea’s Government! Contract with the Youngest Transcendent and Regularization!>
<Level 8 Transcendent from the National Security Agency!>
<Republic of Korea’s Advanced Education System for Awakened Individuals! Astonishing the World!>
<K-Awakened Individual Education System Praised by the US, Astounding China, and Feared by Japan!>
“...A burden has been lifted.”
As articles poured in at a rapid pace, the Cheon Myeong-guk felt relieved.
The negotiations had taken place over a short period, but it had been a series of blood-curdling moments.
Although the government was displeased with the non-arrest privilege, time was on Choi Jun-ho’s side.
He was a genius who reached Level 8 at a very young age. Rumors had circulated that the United States, which had dispatched an observation team, had prepared various forms of support, including budget allocation, to bring Choi Jun-ho to the United States. Not only neighboring countries but also all nations capable of presenting conditions, had taken notice of Choi Jun-ho and rushed to offer their support.
The major guilds added to the frenzy. They mentioned unprecedented preparation of a substantial unit contract fee, and even stock options of promising affiliated companies that would be listed.
It was a glaringly obvious fact that Choi Jun-ho’s value would increase as time passed. Cheon Myeong-guk concluded that if they delayed any further, they would risk missing out, so he strongly pushed to grant the non-arrest privilege, declaring that he would take responsibility.
The results turned out as follows.
“Nicely done.”
Choi Jun-ho’s symbolism was truly remarkable. The fact that he was in his 20s and already a Level 8 Transcendent, along with his matured skills, abundant practical experience, and achievements, made him exceptional.
What caught the attention of Cheon Myeong-guk was that Choi Jun-ho lacked the typical vanity and unnecessary desire for honor or material wealth often seen in young, prodigious, awakened individuals.
Sometimes young awakened individuals demand private jets or even national treasure-class equipment, crossing the line with their requests. However, Choi Jun-ho had no such ambitions. In other words, this meant there was a low possibility of him making unreasonable demands on the government.
The only worrying aspect was that his methods were ruthless, but considering the recent decrease in cases of excessive suppression, he decided to trust the other.
“It must have been a failure in power control.”
Since everyone could make mistakes when their blood was boiling.
Cheon Myeong-guk believed in Choi Jun-ho’s good intentions.
“But why did he ask for the reporters’ information?”
He was puzzled by the other’s request for information on the reporters attending today, but he handed it over without a fuss.
Surely nothing serious could have happened.
The appearance of the new Level 8 Transcendent took place in the press conference room of the National Assembly headquarters. First, Cheon Myeong-guk announced Choi Jun-ho’s joining, then answered the reporters’ questions, and finally introduced Choi Jun-ho.
“Please take care of me from now on.”
“I will do my best to catch villains.”
“......”
He thought that the strangely off-key atmosphere was an overly sensitive reaction.
The spotlights in the venue were all directed at Choi Jun-ho.
Appearing for the first time on the official podium as a Level 8 Transcendent, he reminded one of an actor.
With a handsome appearance reminiscent of a nobleman, well-proportioned body, and a firm physique. Dressed in a charcoal gray suit with an all-black necktie, he appeared as if he was at a movie premiere.
Normally, in a situation like this, one might be flustered, but he introduced himself without changing his expression.
“I am Choi Jun-ho of the National Security Agency. I will be moving forward as part of the National Security Agency from now on.”
After a brief introduction, it was time for questions.
“I’m Kim Jae-deok from the Munseong Daily. I’m curious about your future aspirations.”
“I will lend my strength to turning the Republic of Korea into a villain-free nation.”
“This is Kim Song-hwa, a reporter from Han Nuri Newspaper. You mentioned that you killed the Puppeteer. I’m curious about the process...”
“The Puppeteer manipulated his puppets using Force waves...”
“Revival content...”
Numerous questions from various media outlets poured in, each time accompanied by substantial answers.
Especially, the process of subduing Puppeteer was as exciting as a drama itself.
No worries.
Cheon Myeong-guk, who had been wary of Choi Jun-ho’s straightforwardness, felt more at ease.
Perhaps all the concerns he had were unnecessary.
But his expression hardened when he saw the man who was allowed to speak at the end of the press conference.
A man in his late 40s with a bulldog-like impression.
“I’m Oh Chang-mun, a reporter from Speed Force. I did some research on Choi Jun-ho, and it’s said that he caused a stir in society when he was a government hunter because of his excessive use of force. In fact, many of your villains have been crippled or maimed for life. Do you feel any remorse for them?”
“......”
The press conference room fell into silence.
Eyes from all directions were fixed on him, but Oh Chang-mun awaited the response with an unaffected expression.
Choi Jun-ho took the microphone.
“Mr. Oh Chang-mun from Speed Force.”
“Yes.”
Although they pretended otherwise, the reporters’ expressions were filled with anticipation of Choi Jun-ho’s response.
The younger they were, the more susceptible they were to such provocations. Especially for a Level 8 Transcendent like Choi Jun-ho, who was in his energetic 20s and knew no fear of the world, this tendency would be even more pronounced.
However, the words that came out of Choi Jun-ho’s mouth were completely different from what the reporters had in mind.
“After looking into it, I found out that you’ve been writing critical articles since I started arresting villains. Excessive suppression, infringement of authority, being more ruthless than the villains, and so on.”
“I was simply reporting the facts.”
“Reporters like you...”
Choi Jun-ho’s emotionless eyes turned towards Oh Chang-mun.
“You received bribes from the villain organization in Seodaemun-gu and supported drug distribution.”
“......”
Oh Chang-mun’s expression crumpled. It was the worst incident of his life, extensively covered on TV five years ago. Because of that, it took him over three years to return to the front lines.
Cheon Myeong-guk, who had been observing silently, stood up in surprise. He hadn’t even dreamed that Choi Jun-ho would directly address and point out that incident.
What was he doing now? Was he openly accusing a reporter?
Could it be the request for the reporters’ information was for this...
“The Transcendent who should be protecting citizens is pressuring a reporter with irrelevant stories--!”
Oh Chang-mun’s shouting was stopped abruptly. Suddenly, Choi Jun-ho stood before him.
“Accepting bribes offered by villains and taking the villain’s side. Then you’re not a journalist, but a villain.”
Crack!
“Noohooh!”
Oh Chang-mun’s arms instantly snapped in opposite directions. Then, with a flick of his shin, both his legs broke.
With his limbs broken in an instant, he screamed and crawled on the ground.
“I believe Oh Chang-mun is not a journalist but a villain.”
Choi Jun-ho looked around.
“Any objections?”
“......”
