Ch.598Chapter 23. Patriotic General Do Ji-hwan (2)

Awakening.

A word that sounds like it would make someone significantly stronger in terms of abilities, and it’s a term that has spread widely, especially in America.

There are various methods of awakening.

Some experience increased combat power when rage builds to the extreme after a friend’s death, while others gain strength by battling the personification of their potential in their inner world.

In most cases, this results in advancing at least one level beyond their previous stage.

So how does awakening work in this world, in this Korean fantasy novel?

Most awakenings occur through researching and developing abilities, discovering new techniques.

As experience accumulates, new skills increase, and at certain points, sudden dramatic growth occurs.

-Wait, isn’t that just like Pukimon?

On the surface, it seemed that way.

But in this world, in this Korean fantasy novel, ability enhancement was similar to Digital Monster, the self-proclaimed eternal rival of Pukimon.

-So S-rank was the ultimate form!

-Would you please call it the “Absolute Perfect Form”?

Once someone reached a certain “rank,” there seemed nowhere higher to go.

With the exception of very special cases like Lord of Radiant Wings or Snow White, it appeared that no one progressed beyond S-rank.

But reality was different.

By the time the World Cup approached, both Lord of Radiant Wings and Snow White had become much stronger than before.

Awakening.

And with awakening came specialized weapons.

With mana-infused gold and significantly enhanced abilities, those who loved creating tiers argued that more grades needed to be established within the S-rank.

S+ rank.

And even stronger, SS rank.

The criterion for designating those who reached SS rank was simple.

Had they “awakened” or not?

Snow White had awakened.

She proved her power before everyone by freezing the entire Haeguneul headquarters building, demonstrating magic power far greater than before and with much more refined control.

Perhaps she had become as strong as Lord of Radiant Wings.

America began analyzing Snow White’s ability development history in earnest.

Based on the timeline of Baek Seol-hee using abilities close to “divine powers,” they realized what had the greatest influence on her abilities.

-It’s Do Ji-hwan!

Her relationship with Do Ji-hwan.

After receiving the pregnancy warrant on Jeju Island, Baek Seol-hee began demonstrating incredible abilities.

Creating ice crystals.

Refining her doppelgangers.

Even freezing a building dozens of stories high, inside and out, without breaking a sweat.

The woman who had struggled fighting the Goblin in Yangyang and Jindo was merely a thing of the past.

So everyone analyzed:

Ah, Baek Seol-hee has “awakened.”

She became SS-rank through pregnancy.

At first, everyone thought “pregnancy” was the trigger for awakening.

They already knew that female ability users who had given birth didn’t necessarily become stronger, but since it happened with Baek Seol-hee, they wondered if it might be possible.

-If you got pregnant but didn’t awaken or get stronger, it’s just because you lack willpower and effoooort!

Some women became pregnant.

As if imitating Baek Seol-hee, they forcibly dragged men they liked into their bedrooms and got pregnant.

But none of them awakened.

Was pregnancy not the trigger?

Just as people began to think this, evidence appeared that the trigger wasn’t pregnancy.

[Introducing! America’s new SS-rank ability user!! ‘Red Rider’!! Korean name, ‘Yoon Hye-ra’!!]

An SS-rank ability user formally introduced by America’s Hero Association.

Appearing after easily defeating 30 A-rank American ability users as if they were children, she had longer hair with parts of it dyed gold.

Red Rider, Yoon Hye-ra had also awakened.

Though previously known as S-rank but more of a businesswoman than a hero, she seemed to have grown to become a true SS-rank, “capable of rivaling Baek Seol-hee.”

What was the secret?

What was the secret of awakening shared between these two women?

After analysis, everyone’s attention turned to one man.

-Maybe Do Ji-hwan isn’t just a patriotic ability master, but women ability users awaken when they do that with him?

Such an absurd rumor began to spread.

A truly absurd claim.

But this absurdity became “plausible truth” when people curious about the hypothesis began searching for information to prove it.

-Korean government, free Do Ji-hwan’s bed–!!

Once they held auctions for a night with Do Ji-hwan, but now that the World Cup season had arrived, they were hiding him thoroughly.

And they even assigned two S-rank female ability users to guard him, alternating between them.

Suspicion.

Gossip.

And “results.”

-If Do Ji-hwan isn’t the trigger for awakening, prove it by doing it with any S-rank! If you prove it physically, we won’t demand the truth from Do Ji-hwan anymore! But the Korean government, the Hero Association, and Do Ji-hwan all remain silent while S-rank women line up! What does this mean!!

All of this combined, and people began accepting one hypothesis as established fact.

-Do Ji-hwan is an ‘SS-maker,’ and Korea is trying to monopolize Do Ji-hwan as an ‘awakening device’!

That Do Ji-hwan was the “light of evolution.”

-If Do Ji-hwan can awaken women through such acts, then he’s someone we must secure by any means!!

Just as he had made Baek Seol-hee and Yoon Hye-ra SS-rank.

Clearly, Do Ji-hwan could make female ability users stronger.

And that hypothesis, coincidentally, became reality “in effect.”

It’s not true that women become stronger by having relations with Do Ji-hwan.

This is the truth.

However, all those who had relations with Do Ji-hwan did become stronger.

This is also the truth.

It was mere coincidence, but the world began gossiping wildly about it.

-I want one night with Do Ji-hwan—!!

This was the current state of South Korea.

Many female ability users who wanted to evolve to S-rank or SS-rank through Do Ji-hwan before the World Cup thought:

To win the World Cup, one shouldn’t be picky about means and methods.

But there’s no problem with “doping” as long as it’s within legal boundaries.

The World Cup regulations don’t state “ability users who have awakened through patriotic acts with Do Ji-hwan cannot participate in the World Cup”!

-Do you really want to awaken so badly that you’d have relations with a man you don’t love!!

People might shout this on moral grounds.

But.

-If it means defeating Korea and winning, okay!!

The desire and madness for victory is contagious.

-If Korea does it, what law says we can’t do it too!

That madness exploded due to the absurd actions of the Korean government.

-Patriotic Master Do Ji-hwan! His awakening device doesn’t belong to Korea, but to the whole world!!

* * *

“Talking nonsense about awakening devices.”

The world has gone mad.

Even in the age of special abilities.

Even if people want children born with high abilities.

Even if they get vicarious satisfaction from their country’s ability users winning competitions.

“Everyone’s trying their hardest to win within legal boundaries. They should spend that time improving their own abilities instead.”

“If someone with similar skills to mine wins because of equipment and awakening advantages, nothing feels more unfair.”

Baek Seol-hee fiddled with her gold ring and shrugged.

“I’ll grant you the power of equipment through mana gold. But awakening is qualitatively different. It’s like something that was completely blocked suddenly opens wide, and a woman awakens.”

“You’re really becoming a middle-aged woman. Your words are so suggestive.”

“If I were truly a middle-aged woman, I would have said it outright.”

Baek Seol-hee poked my side repeatedly, scolding me.

“Still, the government is looking out for you in their own way. Otherwise, intelligence agents from various countries would be in Korea trying to kidnap you by now.”

“As if they aren’t doing that already.”

“They might be thinking about it, but there’s a difference between actual attempts and just planning. Japan, China, all of them.”

The whole world is targeting Do Ji-hwan.

“It’s not like they’re addicted to mana powder; they just think anyone can become as strong as Baek Seol-hee or Yoon Hye-ra by using Do Ji-hwan’s awakening device once.”

It’s kind of like this:

In Olympic swimming, an already dominant male swimmer wearing a full-body swimsuit to reduce water resistance and win more easily.

Female ability users are looking for me for various reasons.

Whether it’s curiosity about a man, loyalty to their country, or a sense of responsibility not to disappoint their citizens’ expectations and wishes.

Many want to use Do Ji-hwan’s awakening device, and the Korean government tried to protect me as a “patriotic master” and “national treasure.”

“You should thank me. If it were up to me, you’d have gotten an ejaculation warrant instead of this.”

Baek Seol-hee picked up my elaborately made business card.

“Hehe. I’ve seen licenses to kill in movies, but I never thought something like this would actually be legally issued.”

“Surprisingly, neither did I.”

The Korean government did something crazy.

“A patriotic license, of all things.”

I have become.

The only ability-enhancing tool sanctioned by the state.