Chapter 47: Betting Broadcast (5)

Normally, the verification of one’s awakening and the measurement of their rank are overseen by the Association.

There’s no complicated reason for this.

First, the Association—founded by the Seven Heroes after the Great Cataclysm—symbolizes awakened individuals in Korea.

Second, the Association has handled awakening tests and rank measurements for so long that it’s become a matter of custom.

And now.

“President! The replacement of the measurement crystal is complete!”

“Upper limit threshold settings have been updated on this side as well!”

“Test runs are all green! We’re ready to proceed with the measurement!”

The Association’s measurement team was operating the equipment with perfect coordination under the Association President’s instructions.

“Good work. You can all monitor the rest from behind the barrier over there.”

“W-wait, you’re going to activate the measurement system yourself, sir?”

“Of course. We don’t know what kind of unexpected situation might occur.”

All eyes from the measurement team turned to him at once, just as they were about to rest and wipe their sweat.

Some mouthed silent words, others swallowed nervously, all clearly stunned by the news.

But at the President’s dismissive hand gesture—like a silent command to clear out—they hurried away.

Who on earth is even coming in?

That question filled the measurement team’s minds, but as instructed, they prioritized getting behind the barrier.

Fortunately, the protective barrier the President had pointed to was reinforced with all kinds of magical safeguards.

And since it was made of a transparent, glass-like material, they could still see what was happening on the other side.

Just a little patience, and they’d get to see the star of the moment—the one the President himself was preparing for.

The team’s hearts began to pound.

“They’re going to measure my magic with this lump of metal?”

“It might look like a lump of metal, but it’s actually a pretty complex device.”

A man and woman entered the measurement room, and behind them, a smartphone floated quietly in the air.

It was a bizarre group that made no immediate sense just by looking—but the Association President, now fully used to such things, greeted them without hesitation.

“Welcome. Everything you asked for is ready.”

“The equipment looks better than when I last saw it… Did you upgrade recently?”

“Haha, the capable folks over there worked hard on it.”

Noticing that the machines looked different from what he remembered, Cheon Hwi raised a question.

The President casually pointed toward the barrier.

As Cheon Hwi turned his head—and the floating smartphone turned with him—the measurement team, awkwardly standing around, appeared on the live broadcast screen.

– LOL the measurement team

– Why is them waving so hilariously awkward.

– Bro just bosses the whole Association around with one word.

The measurement team responded to Cheon Hwi’s gaze in various ways—some turning their heads awkwardly, others raising a hand in greeting.

As viewers watching the stream burst into laughter at a scene they’d never seen on any other broadcast, Cheon Hwi shifted the camera back and spoke again.

“Could I ask you to explain how the awakening verification and rank measurement process works?”

“Of course. Please follow me.”

Most people probably already knew, but there could still be some who didn’t—and the equipment had changed, too.

Partly to fill up the stream’s runtime, Cheon Hwi asked the Association President for an explanation, adjusting the smartphone’s position mid-air with Telekinetic Grasp.

The smartphone began following the Association President, capturing both his explanation and the machines behind him on screen.

“The biggest difference between awakened and non-awakened individuals is magic power, so the very first step in determining awakening is to identify whether magic is present inside the body.”

The Association President flicked his finger.

When he tapped a metal capsule big enough to fit a person inside, the lid opened smoothly with a mechanical whir.

“When someone lies down inside this capsule, the device connected at the back measures the magic power inside and tracks its flow.”

As the capsule lid closed again, Cheon Hwi—who had been listening closely—opened his mouth.

It was a question that had personally occurred to him, and one that viewers had also been raising in the chat.

“What if someone carries an object with magic power inside when they go in?”

Wouldn’t it be possible for a non-awakened person to trick the system into reading them as awakened if they carried a magic-infused item?

At that, the Association President chuckled lightly and replied.

“There used to be quite a few people who tried to cheat like that.”

Back when the aftermath of the Great Cataclysm hadn’t completely subsided, people had attempted tricks like that—he continued in a nostalgic tone.

“But thanks to major advancements in technology, we now analyze the unique magic patterns that form inside the bodies of awakened individuals to produce the measurement results.”

“Unique internal magic patterns of awakened individuals?”

“Yes. Much like how electricity flows, the magic inside an awakened person’s body moves with a distinctive sense of purpose.”

The explanation that followed was something not yet revealed to the public—startling new information.

“While it generally circulates through the entire body like blood, the magic that fills the body like mist sometimes takes on unique patterns.”

“What kind of patterns, exactly?”

Magic that circulates like blood.

Magic that fills the body like mist.

Those were two traits Cheon Hwi himself had observed before.

But the way the Association President continued speaking, it sounded as if there was something more beyond that.

“Constellation.”

Cheon Hwi and Scarlet’s eyes widened.

Their expressions didn’t appear on screen since the camera was focused on the Association President and the equipment—but that didn’t change the fact that both were clearly shocked.

Whether he knew what they were feeling or not, the Association President proudly revealed the critical discovery the Association had made about awakened individuals.

“Every awakened person possesses a unique magic pattern that resembles a constellation.”

It’s a characteristic, like a fingerprint, unique to each individual.

As he spoke, Scarlet nudged Cheon Hwi in the side with her elbow and whispered.

“Hey… I think we’re in trouble.”

Regrettably, it was something he couldn’t deny.

Having now heard something they never should have, Cheon Hwi and Scarlet listened as the Association President went on to explain each device and its role.

And once all the explanations were finished, the time had finally come to measure Scarlet’s awakening and rank.

From here on, only state the result—whether she’s awakened or not, and her rank.

Do not mention any special details or other information.

That was the decision Cheon Hwi made after hearing the full explanation of the system.

If Scarlet’s results were fully revealed, it would cause a massive uproar, so only the bare minimum—her awakening status and rank—should be disclosed.

Finishing his message, Cheon Hwi ended the transmission to the Association President.

“Then, Miss Scarlet, this way. We’ll begin the examination.”

The Association President swallowed hard and led Scarlet to the capsule he had introduced earlier.

With a nervous and slightly uneasy expression, Scarlet glanced briefly at Cheon Hwi before lying down inside the capsule.

Soon, the lid closed, and with a faint hum that made the air seem to tremble, the device began its analysis.

Scarlet’s subtle aura of magic began to seep out, gradually filling the inside of the machine.

As the device’s inner mechanisms grew quiet, the surroundings returned to complete stillness.

When the entire process finished and the capsule opened, the Association President reached out his hand and guided Scarlet.

“The examination is complete. Please wait over there by the machine while I check the results.”

The device connected to the capsule served two purposes.

First, it determined whether the person inside had magic power.

Second, it verified whether the magic was truly theirs—by analyzing the constellation-like pattern unique to awakened individuals.

That was all.

As he walked over to the terminal that held the test results, the Association President felt his heart pounding with tension.

‘Just what kind of result were you expecting…?’

During the capsule’s development, he’d seen the results a few times—but none of them had been anything special.

Even the department heads of the Association, himself included, had tested their own magic patterns and confirmed there were no issues.

So why…?

The Association President, who knew full well that Cheon Hwi always had a reason for his actions, swallowed hard as he checked the results.

And then.

“…?!”

Eight red dots recorded in the test results.

The exact same magic pattern—down to the smallest detail—as Seo Ye-rin’s previously recorded results.

The Association President inhaled sharply.

‘You expected this…?’

Keep this quiet.

Remembering Cheon Hwi’s warning just before the test began, the Association President quickly moved his hands across the terminal.

And just like that.

The moment Scarlet’s magic pattern test results were permanently deleted from the Association’s internal database.

Several more minutes passed.

After finishing all remaining tests that followed the magic pattern examination, Scarlet now wore a pouting expression that made her look rather drained.

“Seriously, all this for something as simple as measuring someone’s abilities?”

Beings who’ve reached a certain level of mastery can often tell at a glance what kind of power someone possesses.

Even without such a gap in cultivation, being able to judge the strength of yourself and your opponent is a fundamental skill.

It’s something anyone in the martial world is expected to do—something as natural as breathing.

So the fact that the Association couldn’t even do that properly clearly annoyed Scarlet, as she glared at the Association President bringing over the final results.

“The final results are in.”

– Ohhhh

– Finally!

– So what’s the outcome of the bet??

In the Association President’s hand—was a single sheet of paper.

Inside that sheet of paper was the result that would determine the outcome of the bet—Scarlet’s test result.

At that very moment, as viewers flooded the chat with anticipation over the result,
Cheon Hwi, who already knew the answer, looked calmly at the Association President with the smile of a victor.

“According to the precision measurement, Miss Scarlet has been classified as a C-rank awakened.”

– What?!

– Wait, is that for real?

– No joke? She’s actually a C-rank?

– Is this the artificial awakened I’ve been looking for?!

The result announced by the Association President was none other than this: Scarlet was a C-rank awakened.

C-rank is more than sufficient to work as an active-duty Hunter, and in fact, many Hunters currently making a name for themselves as B-ranks originally started as C-ranks.

And it wasn’t like there was any manipulation involved.

From start to finish—from the testing process to the announcement of the results—everything had been streamed live.

So no one knew better than the viewers themselves that there had been no foul play.

No matter how you looked at it, the bet had clearly ended in Cheon Hwi’s victory.

Enjoying his undeniable win, Cheon Hwi turned the smartphone toward himself and flashed a sly, razor-sharp smile.

“Hope you’re ready for the penalty.”

It was the last line spoken before the broadcast ended.