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Chapter 5
‘Is this even possible?’
Kim Hyun-jun, who had come out for a late-night walk to soothe the loneliness of spending the holiday alone, witnessed an extraordinary scene.
It was a man suddenly biting into a steel pole.
At first, he thought nothing of it.
He initially assumed the man was just pretending to bite the steel pole, and was perhaps mentally unstable.
When he heard the cracking sound, he immediately thought the man’s teeth would be shattered.
But it was the opposite.
The man spat out the piece he had torn off and was checking the condition of his teeth.
‘There are quite a few awakened individuals with the talent to enhance their body. But this is completely new.’
Typically, an awakened individual’s ‘talent’ for physical enhancement was more focused on arms, hands, or legs and feet.
Usually, they would become abnormally fast runners or gain destructive physical strength.
But he had never seen data of someone whose teeth and bite force had been strengthened like this man.
Kim Hyun-jun asked,
“…Did you just tear off this steel pole? With your mouth?”
“Yes, I did. Oh, are you concerned about property damage?”
Kang Shin-hwa nodded, understanding Kim Hyun-jun’s question.
While searching for the highest-intensity metal nearby, he had torn the steel, and he naturally intended to compensate for the damage.
“No, that’s not it. Are you an Awakener? If it’s not rude, what’s your rank?”
“E-rank.”
Kang Shin-hwa openly revealed his rank.
There was no point in hiding it anyway.
Although expensive, using magical power detection devices could immediately determine one’s rank.
“With this level of strength, most awakened individuals would be seriously injured just by biting. I don’t think even advanced reinforcement suits could withstand this.”
“Is that so?”
“I’ve known and investigated many awakened cases, but I’ve never seen an Awakener who uses their teeth. Is this your primary ability?”
“No. It’s just one of several options.”
“Excuse me? What did you say?”
Kim Hyun-jun wore a shocked expression.
Just tearing steel with his teeth was clearly an awakened talent.
Typically, an awakened individual has only one talent. If strengthening teeth were the talent, that would be all.
But the man in front of him said it was just one of several ‘options’. Meaning this wasn’t everything.
Then.
“Just a moment.”
Ptui!
Kang Shin-hwa chewed and then spat out the steel pieces remaining in his mouth.
What remained looked like crumpled, deformed steel as if it were chewing gum.
Kim Hyun-jun was shocked again.
This power seemed capable of easily chewing through most reinforcement suits.
“There was something left in my mouth.”
“I apologize for our first meeting! I’m Kim Hyun-jun, team leader of the Hongryeon Guild’s Seoul 49th Team.”
Kim Hyun-jun abruptly held out a business card.
It was an expensive card with a black background, luxurious gold trim, and gold typography.
<Hongryeon Guild Seoul 49th Team, Overall Team Leader Awakened Kim Hyun-jun>
’49th team? Completely the lowest tier. A team that would be thrown away like fly sacrifices in an emergency. But as a team leader, he’s at least D-rank.’
Kang Shin-hwa made a bitter expression.
He didn’t care who this person was or what fate awaited him.
He could simply deduce the future based on his knowledge.
‘Hongryeon Guild…’
Mentioning the guild’s name left a bitter taste.
While it was undoubtedly the number one guild in South Korea, it was also called the leader of ‘accumulated malpractice’.
“Due to the recent talent drain to the Cheongryeon Guild! We’re struggling to attract precious talents like yourself.”
He even emphasized their rivalry with the second-ranked Cheongryeon Guild.
Nothing had changed from the old days.
‘Until they jointly attacked the third-ranked Hyehwa Guild three months from now, everyone thought Hongryeon and Cheongryeon were mortal enemies.’
Three months from now.
The two guilds would attack Hyehwa Guild to overturn the awakened landscape of South Korea, which was divided into a three-way system.
Until then, the Hongryeon and Cheongryeon Guilds, which had been considered enemies for nearly ten years, would join forces.
In fact, the masters of both guilds were long-time lovers, hiding their relationship while waiting for the right moment.
‘That’s how an even greater malpractice was born. Damn them.’
In any case, whether Hongryeon or Cheongryeon, these were organizations that would bring him no benefit by joining.
Not wanting to create unnecessary connections, Kang Shin-hwa returned the business card to Kim Hyun-jun.
“No, thank you.”
“As you know, our guild offers the best treatment for awakened individuals with diverse talents…”
“Not interested.”
Kang Shin-hwa shook his head.
Even if it’s the lowest tier, a team leader is still a team leader.
The scouting offer was pleasant, but that was all.
Getting involved with the Hongryeon Guild was completely at odds with the relaxed lifestyle he wanted to pursue.
Right then.
“Hey there! Just a moment!”
Kang Shin-hwa vigorously waved at a patrolling police officer.
Time to turn himself in and find some light. It was also a chance to remove the mouth that might become annoying.
And so, Kang Shin-hwa quickly distanced himself from Kim Hyun-jun.
“Sigh…”
Watching Kang Shin-hwa follow the police officer, Kim Hyun-jun repeatedly let out regretful sighs.
A man with unique talents.
His abilities were too valuable to give up on so easily. He also wanted to see what other hidden talents he might have.
Was it because of that?
Click. Click. Click.
Kim Hyun-jun began photographing the torn steel pole.
He planned to request the strategic analysis team to investigate this man’s abilities more in-depth.
* * *
A while later.
“Huh, is 400,000 won per ability test considered cheap?”
After definitively settling the compensation for the damaged steel pole, I returned to the walking path.
I checked if Kim Hyun-jun, who had almost stuck to me annoyingly, was still around, but he seemed to have already left.
‘My sense of taste has definitely changed.’
I checked the state of my tongue that I had not yet fully confirmed.
The transformation was definitely complete.
I had acquired a sense of taste that was unrivaled, but that was not the core of the change.
The core of the tongue’s transformation was two things!
First, when eating monster meat, it becomes possible to analyze information about the monster primarily through the tongue.
This will later synergize with the transformed stomach, and in conclusion, it becomes possible to conditionally acquire the monster’s abilities.
However, since only the tongue has been changed so far, it remains at the stage of information analysis.
Secondly, using the change-series talent, I can freely alter the saliva components.
I can create four types of saliva: toxic, healing, tracking, and adhesive!
‘Let’s see.’
I immediately used magic to change the saliva components. The first thing I made was toxic saliva.
Needless to say, the potent toxin created by saliva is immune to myself.
“Ptui!”
I spit the saliva forcefully onto the weeds next to me.
Swish. Swish.
The weed that was standing upright just moments ago now dropped its head and collapsed.
It lost its vitality and died.
Behind the weed, the base of a tree had a severely scratched wound.
This time, I created healing saliva.
I spat it directly onto the tree’s wound.
The wound at the base of the tree quickly healed, receiving the healing energy of the saliva, and sap began to cover it.
‘Good. It’s working normally.’
I was worried that there might be abnormalities because this body is much younger than my previous life, but there were none.
“I should prepare myself in case an emergency situation occurs later.”
I made a wry expression at the thought that suddenly came to me.
If an emergency patient suddenly needs urgent health recovery.
At that time, the only means of treatment I can provide is supplying healing energy through saliva.
Although there are several roundabout methods, in a truly urgent situation, I might have to resort to a mouth-to-mouth (?) healing.
‘That’s enough transformation for today. I’ve already changed five areas. My body is also overloaded.’
I could sense that my body had reached its sensory limits.
If I attempt another transformation here, I might suffer side effects and internal injuries.
[Evaluation Rank: D-]
‘Oh! I’ve already gone up one level with this?’
The rank evaluation had gone up from E to D-.
From D rank, there are three subdivisions: -, 0, and +, and I’ve reached the beginning of that.
Without any side effects, I’ve developed from F rank to D- rank in half a day.
This is almost equivalent to dramatically reducing the time by nearly 10 years.
In my previous life, until I met Nicholas, I was stuck at F rank for 6 years.
Considering that, the time I’ve shortened today is incredibly significant compared to my previous life!
“Haah…”
Fatigue washed over me.
My body, which was ordinary just yesterday evening, had undergone intense changes in just 6 hours, so it was natural to feel tired.
I decided to find a somewhat shabby inn to rest.
After all, the team is set to gather tomorrow morning right here at Sindorim Station Exit 2.
‘This is my first sleep after returning. I wonder how the dawn of my rejuvenated body will be?’
Remembering how I used to wake up with aches all over my back, spine, and waist in the past.
I led my body, full of vitality and energy, towards the inn.
Return to 32 years ago!
The first night was coming to an end.
* * *
Early the next morning.
I went out to the site two hours earlier than the scheduled team assembly time of 8 AM.
On the way to the site.
I checked the post I had uploaded on the Awakener-exclusive community ‘Unsung Hero’ before going to sleep last night.
[Title: Hey guys, I’m here]
[Hey guys, it’s me, the guy who used to whine about improving the porter welfare. If you’re curious about the content, search for previous posts.
Anyway, I’m going to get serious today. I went from F rank to D- rank in just one day!
Jealous?
I’m about to wrap up my life as a perpetual porter and now look forward and run. Take care, everyone!]
I posted a bit of a silly message.
Anyway, since neither my face nor identity would be exposed, I posted it casually for fun.
And I was also curious because the reactions of Awakeners here would not be significantly different from reality.
[dogwhobarkswhenseeingme: Hey, even Ju Cheon-ho, called a monster, took a year to grow from F rank to E rank. Are you kidding?]
[headtobepunished: Rather, say you started at D- rank after awakening! I’ll believe that statement. X god X nonsense.]
[loserdetector: Yes. I’ve seen the delusions of a basement F-rank loser well. A loser necklace to be placed around his neck.]
[ParkPyeongSik: Concept disappeared, only nonsense is visible.]
[pure: Instead of talking nonsense, go carry more luggage. If you’re saying such nonsense, won’t you feel self-loathing?]
“Haha! Actually, that’s right. Logically, it doesn’t make sense! I’m glad everyone thinks that way.”
I laughed heartily.
Probably anywhere else, the reaction would be similar. Because it’s beyond common sense.
Everyone treating it as nonsense made me feel good.
It was proof of the shocking change I experienced.
Anyway, while walking and looking at my smartphone, I arrived at the site.
No one had arrived earlier. Probably even at 8 o’clock, only porters would gather.
Awakeners have a bad habit of considering not keeping time appointments as a kind of pride.
I don’t know who started this pride, but during my porter days, it was a terribly frustrating sense of time.
‘Well, the dungeon attack will be canceled today anyway.’
I was already looking ahead to the future that would soon come to us.
Yesterday, I was in such a hurry that I didn’t know exactly what dungeon we would be attacking today.
But after waking up and checking the dungeon information on my smartphone, it was a place familiar to my eyes.
‘K-848 Dungeon. The place where Magos, who will rampage as a great monster in 10 years, is hiding in this dual dungeon.’
The memory is clear.
In my previous life, when the attack was canceled today, I was deeply disappointed about not being able to earn New Year’s money.
That was because in a situation where every penny was tight due to monthly rent, my income had disappeared.
The Awakeners probably received a notification from the Korean Awakener Association, or KSA, early in the morning.
They were ‘recommended’ to suspend the attack because irregular wave patterns of dimensional energy were detected in the K-848 dungeon.
The recommendation was not mandatory.
But no Awakener wanted to risk their lives and fight.
So today’s attack would be canceled.
To be precise, it was already decided among the Awakeners.
They just didn’t bother to contact the porters.
Porters, called the dirt spoons of the Awakener class.
The discrimination and poor treatment have a deep-rooted history that is quite old.
‘If I kill Magos, I can get not only the Steel Flower but also top-tier dimensional stones. It’ll be at least 3 billion won!’
I had already calculated the estimate.
What remains is how I, still treated as an ordinary porter, can naturally proceed with the dungeon attack.
‘Once I’m inside the dungeon…’
I can definitely make a big score.
The great first step towards a well-being life! The prelude to raising seed money begins.
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