The Training Begins

The video, now enshrined in the Hall of Fame, spread like wildfire.

Its view count exploded, surging madly in real-time, a testament to the world’s insatiable curiosity.

With global attention fixated on the Transcendent Beings, this outcome was, in a sense, inevitable.

The Awakened Issue Board, too, descended into chaos.

– The Witch is so damn pretty.

– Going to see the Witch.

– Noona, heu-eung.

– If a Transcendent Being is that beautiful, isn’t that a net positive?

– Please, don’t cross the line. Haven’t you seen the news about how many people died this time?

While there were many posts expressing condolences,

– May the deceased rest in peace.

– Are those idiots who call the Witch pretty brain-dead? Twenty thousand people died. Twenty thousand.

– May the deceased rest in peace.

– That crazy Witch. Where did she run off to?

– If she’s caught, I’ll kill her.

– You’d probably be the one to die, though?

As always, the period of mourning was brief, quickly replaced by the fervent praise of a new hero.

– Wow, that’s seriously amazing.

– Who is that person?

– With an attack like that, wouldn’t they have died?

– If they died, how could they be in the Hall of Fame, lol? It means they both survived that fight. If they had killed the Transcendent Being, the video of that fight would have been uploaded.

– If it were me, I would have knelt and begged there, haha. I’d seriously wet myself.

– But what did those two talk about?

– Didn’t the Witch try to scout them, asking them to join her, lol?

– What kind of nonsense is that?

– More importantly, that person must have known the Witch would appear there and was waiting for her, right?

– Seeing them converse with the Witch, weren’t they already acquainted?

– Then is that person also a Transcendent Being?

– No, what is a Transcendent Being, anyway…?

People offered all sorts of conjectures about the individual who fought against the Transcendent Being, yet nothing was certain.

Then, several photographs leaked from the fierce battlefield of Hadong County poured gasoline on the burning reactions.

There were images of ice pillars, towering like buildings, some dramatically severed.

Other photos showed house-sized chunks of ice forming craters in the ground.

And then, the deep crescent-shaped gouges of a half-moon sword strike carved into the earth.

Given the vastness of the terrain and the intense global focus on Hadong County, it was only a matter of time before these photos spread.

Day after day, experts appeared on TV programs, analyzing the traces of battle and explaining the sheer impossibility of the fight that had taken place.

In communities, on social media, or anywhere two or more people gathered, discussions about the event were inevitable.

– Is that photo really not faked? Are those the traces of two people fighting?

– They’re not people; they’re Transcendent Beings.

– No, but the one in the Hall of Fame besides the Witch is a person, right?

– Seriously insane… I heard dozens died just trying to enter that area, even the Baekje Guild.

– ??? The Baekje Guild lost that many?

– Yep. Someone I know is in the Baekje Guild, and they said it was so insanely cold inside that if you let your guard down for even a second, you’d freeze to death.

– Crazy… Then who exactly is that person?

– I don’t know, but they must be at least a High-Ranker.

– Since it looks like sword traces, could it be ‘Unseen Sword’ Park Seonghyun?

– If it’s Park Seonghyun, it’s certainly possible… He’s Korea’s number one.

– For swords, there’s also ‘Mercenary,’ rank 9.

– Nah, neither of them. At that time, the leaders of the Five Great Guilds and the High-Rankers were all in Seoul for some meeting.

– If it’s not one of the Five Great Guilds and not a High-Ranker, then who is it?

– So, only an Unranked remains? Is it really an Unranked?

– An Unranked? That criminal group?

– No, not everyone who isn’t registered in the rankings is a criminal.

– That’s true, but they’re not putting their name on the rankings because they have something to hide, right?

– That’s also true, but…

Such conversations would continue without end until the next major issue emerged.

****

I settled into a bus bound for Seoul.

‘Ugh… I’m utterly exhausted.’

An overwhelming number of incidents had crashed down upon me in just one day—no, in mere hours.

Leaning back in my seat, slumped and closing my eyes for a nap, my phone vibrated as if on cue.

The caller ID displayed the name of an old friend, my only surviving friend.

[Han Areum]

“Oh, Areum, what’s up?”

– Ya!!!!

Her voice, loud enough to burst my eardrums, made me pull the phone away for a moment before putting it back.

“My eardrums are going to shatter.”

– Why aren’t you answering your phone?!

“Hmm… I’ve been a bit busy.”

– What’s a jobless person who went back to their hometown busy with? But are you okay? Weren’t you headed to Hadong?

I hesitated for a moment, wondering whether to tell her what had happened, but ultimately decided against it.

“I was in Hadong for a bit, then went to Busan for some fresh air.”

– Wow… that’s a huge relief. So, you’re really okay?

“I told you I am. And guess what? I awakened a while ago.”

– Huh, yeah, awakened… What! Awakened? Really? When? How? What kind of ability?

Imagining Areum’s surprised expression as she peppered me with questions, I chuckled softly and vaguely brushed her off.

“My ability is just so-so, and I awakened out of the blue yesterday.”

– That’s amazing… Hey! Then come to our guild! I’ll get you in!

“…Hwaryun Guild? How could I possibly get into a place like that?”

– Just trust your unnie! I told you I’d get you a solid spot!

“And you have the power to do that?”

– Hmm… No? Hehe.

In truth, Han Areum likely did possess that much influence.

It was easy to confirm through news and the internet that my sole friend was incredibly successful.

She was a rising star, a promising talent of the Hwaryun Guild.

With her outstanding abilities, she had secured the position of the youngest attack team leader in the Hwaryun Guild, a true comet on the rise.

Despite all this, Areum had never once boasted about it to me.

That was just the kind of friend Han Areum was.

Thoughtful and considerate of others’ feelings.

Thus, even with ample ability, she remained humble.

“First, I’ll register as an Awakened and get my license, then I’ll think about it. More importantly, are your parents doing okay?”

– …Actually, I barely managed to stop them from rushing to Hadong right away. I guess many of their friends and acquaintances would have been there…

“…Right…”

This entire tragedy was caused by that one Witch.

Forcing down the anger that threatened to surge again, I concluded the call.

“Anyway, I’m heading to Seoul now, so let’s meet up soon. You must be busy, so go back to work.”

– Yep. I’m busy as hell already. Gotta go!

The call abruptly ended. I stared at my phone for a moment before slipping it into my pocket and burying myself back into the bus seat.

I was exhausted.

At times like these, I needed some healing.

“Status Window.”

[Name]

– Park Minhyuk

[Stats]

– Strength: E / 15

– Agility: E / 13

– Stamina: E / 13

– Mana: D / 28

[Attribute]

– Ice (氷)

[Unique Trait]

– Grows Stronger with Touch

[Traits]

– Endless Talent

– Mana Dominator

[Trait Skills]

– Ah, Just Let Me Touch It! – Lv 1

– Touch It All You Want! – Lv 1

[Skills]

– Witch’s Eye (S) – Lv 1

“Heheheh…”

The status window made me involuntarily chuckle.

No matter how many times I looked, I never tired of it.

The Witch of Bitter Cold had been the worst kind of monster, but she had also brought many benefits.

What pleased me most were the newly acquired traits.

Unlike my embarrassingly named Unique Trait, these new traits felt not just normal, but even ridiculously overpowered.

[Endless Talent]

– Possesses outstanding talent in all fields.

– Cold Reason: Does not easily panic. Emotional fluctuations are significantly reduced.

[Mana Dominator]

– Possesses the ‘Domination’ attribute over mana.

– Intimidation: Creatures with lower-grade mana will instinctively recoil significantly, reducing the power of their skills, when hostile toward the Mana Dominator.

‘These truly are perfect traits, but…’

While they weren’t combat-related traits that offered immediate power, they promised immense long-term benefits.

I wasn’t sure what level of traits and skills other Awakeners possessed, but these seemed quite excellent.

The attribute was also a significant gain.

Typically, attributes are innate at the time of awakening, and even possessing just one attribute is enough to be called a prodigy and considered exceptional among countless Awakeners.

Only one in tens of thousands of Awakeners develop multi-attributes, meaning two or more. Such Awakeners not only garner public attention but are also swiftly recruited by the Five Great Guilds or other large guilds, becoming major figures overnight.

I had clearly possessed no attribute before, yet I had copied the Witch’s attribute using my Unique Trait.

This was an unprecedented feat.

‘What if I could copy more attributes…?’

It was too early to say for certain, but I had a strange feeling it might be possible.

If so, this trait would be far more incredible than I had imagined.

‘By the way, what on earth is this?’

From touching the Witch of Bitter Cold, I had gained the Ice attribute, two traits, and one skill.

Among them, I couldn’t fathom the effect of one particular skill.

[Witch’s Eye (S)]

– Allows you to see what cannot be seen.

– Locked

– Locked

The skill’s rank was an astounding S-class.

Yet, I had no idea where or how to use it.

Even shouting ‘Witch’s Eye’ didn’t seem to activate it.

‘Well, I’ll figure that out eventually…’

For now, I just needed to rest.

****

“You’re registered. The test results will be notified to you by tomorrow.”

After a day of much-needed rest in Seoul, I visited the Association the very next day to register as an Awakened.

To register, one first had to prove their awakening, which turned out to be simpler than expected.

It merely involved a blood test to confirm mana reaction; if a certain threshold of mana was detected, the awakening was verified.

“When does the training start?”

“It’s in exactly three days. Once your awakening is confirmed, you’ll receive a text message with details about necessary preparations and further guidance. You’ll need to arrive by 10 AM on the third day.”

Upon successful verification, Awakened individuals must undergo training.

The training program lasts one week.

After completing theoretical courses and simple practical exercises, a certificate of Awakened registration is issued.

From what I gathered, it didn’t seem particularly difficult; it mainly involved listening carefully to the explanations.

After receiving a bit more information from the receptionist, I left the Association and headed home.

I had considered meeting Areum in my free time, but she seemed frantically busy due to the vanished Witch of Bitter Cold, so we ultimately didn’t meet.

However, a single text message popped up on my phone:

[I’ve already told the guild. A scout from the Hwaryun Guild will pick you up on the day you complete your training.]

“No… the Hwaryun Guild? How could someone like me possibly… It’s too much pressure.”

While the Awakened Association was gaining prominence these days, it still couldn’t compare to the Five Great Guilds.

The Five Great Guilds weren’t called that for nothing.

They were the heroes who stood on the front lines, fighting against the crisis of the Great Cataclysm.

The current Five Great Guilds were founded by five of these individuals who wielded the greatest influence.

Indeed, they represented the most influential and powerful organizations in South Korea.

‘Hmm… it’s still too much pressure.’

My test results arrived the very next day, and two days after that, I entered the Association’s training center.

The training lasted approximately one week, during which lodging and meals were provided, allowing trainees to live in the dormitories within the Association premises.

Of course, one could commute from home, but few bothered when quality food and sleeping arrangements were offered; I was no exception.

Many criticized the Association’s provision of such excellent facilities as a shallow ploy to attract Awakened to their side, but for me, it was largely irrelevant.

After a brief identity check, I headed to the large auditorium within the Association.

“Since our Association’s founding…”

On the podium, an individual who appeared to be in charge passionately explained, flipping through a large screen. Most of it was about the Association itself.

How important the Association was, how diligently it worked, and so on.

Following that, the training manager introduced the instructors who would teach theory and basic combat techniques.

As expected, most of them were Awakened members of the Association.

“To ensure effective training, we will divide you into three classes. This term has a total of 64 participants. First, I will call out Class A. Lee Heejin, Kim Myeongseop, Park Jinu…”

Then, we were divided into classes of twenty and entered our respective lecture rooms. I was in Class A.

Taking a seat at the back, I surveyed my surroundings.

‘Everyone here is an Awakened, then…’

Before my awakening, they were beings I only saw on screens far away, but now, Awakened surrounded me.

“Wow…”

A small gasp of admiration came from the seat right next to me.

Turning my head, I saw a woman with short hair, who looked to be around my age, engrossed in a phone screen. She kept exclaiming to herself in wonder as she stared at the screen.

Naturally, my gaze drifted to her screen as well.

“Puh-huh!”

I barely managed to stifle a shout as I sprang to my feet.

“Huh? What’s wrong?”

The short-haired woman next to me paused the video and looked up, but my eyes remained fixed on the screen.

“What… is this?”

It was the moment I first saw myself, enshrined in the Hall of Fame.