Ch.12Government-Funded Training Is Dangerous (1)

“…Sigh, is that so? So you lost your power and ended up like this.”

After somehow calming Helena down, I listened to her entire account of the situation. Then I shared my story.

Though I was a bit annoyed, she didn’t seem to have intended any harm, and seeing how vulnerable she’d become, I didn’t feel particularly hostile toward her.

Even for an S-rank hunter, it would be ridiculous for someone my age to fight to the death with someone who’s barely twenty-two years old.

‘She’s not a child, and I should show the virtue of a mature adult.’

I nodded with satisfaction.

In reality, it was just a mental victory.

Even if I didn’t forgive her, there was nothing I could do about it.

As I’ve mentioned several times, I was currently as fragile as a fallen leaf on the street.

Acting recklessly could lead to my demise.

“Amazing…”

We were now in a situation where we had exchanged information. After hearing my story, Helena kept glancing at me nervously.

The shock from earlier probably hadn’t completely worn off yet.

“Regaining power through awakening… I think it might actually be possible.”

Helena was right.

Considering what she told me, it was clear that my power hadn’t disappeared but was merely dormant.

Now I could be certain.

Becoming an awakened one was the key to regaining my power.

And already, the recent incident had triggered some kind of change in me.

【Baek Eunha】

▶Title

▶Level

The status window, known as the symbol of the awakened, continued to appear before my eyes after I regained consciousness.

However, it seemed incomplete, no matter how I looked at it.

‘…At least there’s definitely been a change.’

I could tell just by observing Helena right in front of me.

Rustle.

I could now clearly detect the death energy that had been completely invisible to me until now.

But that was it.

I still couldn’t feel or control the power dormant within me.

‘I can’t even tell if I’ve become an awakened one or not…’

There was no title indicating the direction of my power, nor a level showing my growth rate.

Also, for some reason, I didn’t have the stats section that objectively measures one’s power.

But I didn’t need to worry about those things right now. What mattered was that a path had finally opened.

At this moment, I felt my heart beating faster than it had since returning to Earth.

“Excuse me.”

As I was immersed in this exhilaration, Helena, who had been hesitating all this time, spoke to me.

“This might be sudden, but I have a favor to ask.”

“…”

Just moments ago she was in a state of panic, and now that she’s feeling a bit more comfortable, she’s already making requests.

I was about to give her an annoyed look but remembered my situation and composed myself.

‘…The virtue of a mature adult. The virtue of a responsible member of society.’

While I was desperately trying to control my thoughts, Helena, looking somewhat intimidated, stated her request.

“Would you… take me as your disciple?”

I remained silent at this unexpected question, and Helena hastily added:

“If you’re planning to regain your power, I’m sure I can be of help in many ways. And I’ll do anything else you want…”

I could immediately understand why Helena was so desperate. I had walked the same path myself.

Clearly, she had hit a wall in her progress and was experiencing a plateau, unable to advance to a higher level.

‘A disciple…’

Indeed, necromancers of her caliber were rare even in the other world. If I could secure her cooperation, it would be a great help.

In fact, having already accepted Song Hayeon, there was no particular reason to reject Helena now.

Having made up my mind, I felt my limits approaching and pleaded with Helena with my increasingly hazy consciousness.

“Ugh. O-okay. But first, let’s get outside, please…”

After talking face-to-face for so long, I was genuinely about to throw up.

#

Afterward, peaceful days passed without any particular incidents.

I spent my time indulging in all sorts of luxuries in the hotel room, and before I knew it, the event had ended.

“Oppa, haven’t you gained a bit of weight staying in the hotel all this time?”

“…”

During that period, I had one more clandestine meeting with Helena.

Having been anxious for days, I firmly requested that Helena stimulate my soul once more, but she turned pale and refused.

She claimed she had already tried her best last time, but I couldn’t be sure if that was true.

‘I’ve hit another wall…’

Now I understand.

Life is not much different from the battlefield in a game.

Therefore, when you’re on an upward trend like now, you need to maintain that momentum somehow.

‘What should I do?’

At least something resembling a status window had appeared. The fact that it popped up when I called its name confirmed it was indeed a status window.

But it was defective right now. It seemed like if I could just add something more here, I could surely awaken, but finding that missing piece wasn’t easy.

Should I try hunting monsters?

Thinking about it mindlessly, it wasn’t a bad idea. Since dungeons are most closely connected to awakened ones, it might provide some clues.

‘But…’

The problem was that I had no way to enter a dungeon. The previous incident was more like a natural disaster than a special case.

“Ugh.”

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Two days after returning home, I was vigorously pounding my blanket on the bed out of frustration.

It felt like an invisible wall was blocking me just as I was about to reach my destination.

While pondering, a sudden thought crossed my mind.

‘…’

Come to think of it, maybe I could enter dungeons now?

To be precise, I’m not an awakened one yet.

But now I could infuse death energy into mana stones with my own power.

‘Of course, the efficiency would be terrible…’

Regardless, in my current state, even someone like me could register as an awakened one.

Thud.

That’s it!

I jumped out of bed and rushed to the living room.

“Oppa? What’s wrong?”

In the living room, Seoha was leisurely watching a drama on her day off.

I dropped a bombshell on her.

“I’ve awakened.”

It was a lie, of course. But it was enough.

Crash!

The glass cup Seoha dropped shattered with a loud noise.

#

Awakening can happen to anyone at any time.

In a world full of dangers, being an awakened one is certainly a privilege and a great fortune.

However, Baek Seoha had desperately hoped that her brother would never be one of them.

‘As long as it’s just a delusion in his mind, it would be fine, but…’

If he were to actually awaken, it could be fatal for the mentally unstable Baek Eunha.

‘It would definitely be dangerous.’

Currently, Baek Eunha believes he was a high-ranking necromancer in another world. Perhaps he met such a person while he was there, or maybe such a being is connected to memories Baek Eunha wanted to erase.

This is where the problem arises.

The doctor who treated Baek Eunha said that his fabricated memories were like a castle made of glass.

It might seem stable for now, but the moment a small crack appears somewhere, it will collapse instantly.

Let’s consider a scenario.

What if Baek Eunha awakens and realizes his power, but it’s not the power of a necromancer?

That discrepancy would surely bring back the real memories sleeping deep within Baek Eunha.

Whether her brother’s mind could withstand that, Baek Seoha couldn’t know.

So awakening must never happen.

That’s what she thought.

“I’ve awakened.”

Crash!

“Awakened…?”

Baek Seoha was shaken.

Something she thought would never happen had occurred.

For a moment, various extreme thoughts flashed through Baek Seoha’s mind.

‘I need to stop this. Maybe call a hunter who uses hypnosis…’

But this was precisely when she shouldn’t panic. Baek Seoha calmed her racing heart and asked a question to assess the situation.

“W-when?”

“When I came back from the hotel. I didn’t know what it was at the time, so I couldn’t say anything.”

There was indeed such a hypothesis. The more one is exposed to greater powers, the higher the possibility of awakening.

Though it was unsubstantiated, if it were true, Baek Eunha, who had been caught up in a dungeon and followed to a gathering of high-ranking hunters from various countries, could certainly be a candidate.

Baek Seoha deeply regretted her decision.

‘I shouldn’t have taken him there…’

However, from what she heard, Baek Eunha seemed to be quite objective about his condition.

He didn’t appear to be in a dangerous state, at least outwardly.

“What… what type is it?”

“Hm? Necromancy, of course.”

Upon hearing those words, Baek Seoha genuinely thanked the heavens. At least they had passed the most dangerous hurdle.

‘But I can’t let my guard down yet.’

Unless one has the potential to become a high-rank hunter, the power of a newly awakened hunter is quite limited.

Naturally, there were plenty of elements that could confuse Baek Eunha’s memories.

‘But wait…’

Thinking about it, could something this fortunate really happen?

As Baek Seoha’s mind stabilized, she began to consider a new possibility.

Perhaps this awakening itself was a fabrication created by Baek Eunha, and nothing had actually happened.

So she needed to confirm it first.

“Then… what can you do now?”

Hearing this, Baek Eunha asked her to wait a moment with a proud expression.

Then he took out his smartphone and suddenly ordered chicken.

‘Why chicken…?’

After finishing this unexpected dinner, Baek Eunha stood in front of the chicken remains and began to concentrate on something.

“Now, watch this carefully.”

Whoosh.

And indeed, a change occurred.

Rustle.

Creak.

The chicken bones began to stand up on their own and connected with each other to form some kind of shape.

What was completed was a bone model of a bird that looked like it was made by a child, with mismatched proportions.

After a moment of silence, Baek Eunha, with a reddened face, mumbled in a small voice:

“Well, this is… because I ordered half legs and half wings…”

Looking at this scene, Baek Seoha thought with a mix of surprise and pity:

‘…That’s so pathetic.’

Her brother definitely should not be exposed to the dangerous outside world.