Chapter 64 (1/2)

Act 10

After the first test, Su-hyeun took a break until the next test. Actually, he was not particularly tired, physically or mentally, so it wasn’t exactly taking a break. The next test was the same. Kim Hyun-soo, who dubiously doubted the malfunction of the device, had no choice but to admit it.

“…He is a monster.”

The word “monster” came from the mouth of Kim Hyun-soo, who oversaw the evaluation of the S-Rank awakeners. After all, the other S-Rank awakeners he had met so far were monsters as well. Among them, some of them had become stronger years after the S-Rank reexamination.

But by far, Kim Hyun-soo had never seen anyone who gave him as much shock as Su-hyeun.

<>

The device for measuring magic and physical ability was made to be able to check the stats of the awakener accurately. Su-hyeun’s stats were not much different from other S-Rank awakeners. The difference was his ability to handle his own skills.

“He finished his first test in 20 minutes….And his ability to control magic…”

When people had the same Magic Grade, Factor, and physical ability, the most important ability for determining their ranking was magic control. It was about how that person could efficiently and accurately use the same amount of magic. Even with the same amount of magic, the efficiency was very different depending on who used it. The factor that determined that ability was experience and talent.

Soon, the last test began. There were hundreds of thousands of floating slabs of stones all over the huge void. They were slates that were very difficult to break. In fact, they had strength similar to that of bulletproof glass. So, it was impossible to break them without any effort, even considering how good of an awakener he was. The final test was about how fast Su-hyeun was and how many the slabs he could crush. He had to crush them without skill or physical abilities — he could only use magic.

Swish—

Crack—

The magic shot from Su-hyeun’s hand penetrated the slabs. The slab with a hole in the center was split in all directions and soon shattered and fell to the floor.

<> the general examiner thought.

It was amazing that he noticed it in such a short time, but there was something more surprising.

<>

He broke the stones too quickly. The examiners could not even count the number of broken slabs. The deputy examiner, who set a timer, shouted, “10 minutes have passed! Stop!”

Crack—

Crash—

The last slab broke. Su-hyeun turned his body away from where he was standing. He blinked his eyes a couple of times and loosened his concentration, which had been raised to its limit.

“How did it go?” he asked.

“Well…”

It was not a matter of whether he was passed or not. The number of slabs on the floor was far beyond the minimum number for acceptance even if they estimated it roughly. The problem was the record.

Because the stones were broken so quickly, they could not count how many slabs were broken.

“What are you doing? Count them quickly! ”

“Yes, yes!”

At Kim Hyun-soo’s nagging, the other examiners began counting the remaining slabs. After about five minutes, the record came out.

“The remaining slabs are 1,450! The destroyed slabs are 1,550!”

“What? One thousand and five hundred…?”

Kim Hyun-soo quickly looked at the previously held records. Of course, the person who destroyed the largest number of slabs was Park Ji-yeon, who had been tested relatively recently. All of the slabs she had destroyed were just over five hundred.

<> Kim Hyun-soo thought.

Su-hyeun’s Magic Level and Factor did not differ much from when the other S-Rank awakeners took the test for their first time. His physical ability was much less than them. In terms of condition, he was not better than other S-Rank awakeners. The difference was his ability to use those things. Above all, Kim Hyun-soo, who checked Su-hyeun’s magic control with his own eyes, got shocked. He could not believe his eyes.

“Are the examinations done?” Su-hyeun asked.

“Oh? Yes. Y-yes. They are all done.”

Kim Hyun-soo urgently finished the test record for Su-hyeun. He added the records one by one. He finally saw all the records at once. The result was something incredible.

<> he thought.

In any case, further tests would be meaningless. Kim Hyun-soo closed the recording paper and said, “Congratulations on passing.”

***

It took about an hour for the S-Rank awakener registration card to be issued. Su-hyeun waited for the registration card along with the other party.

“I knew it was going to happen….But I feel a little weird that you are becoming an S-Rank.”

“Why?”

“Because you are the sixth. It symbolizes the best awakener, and it also means you are a world-wide revel awakener.”

Hak-joon felt strange and unfamiliar that he was sitting next to the new S-Rank awakener. He felt that way especially more because he had thought Su-hyeun was a C-Rank awakener just until recently.

“You won’t take long, either,” Su-hyeun said to Hak-joon.

“Me? No way.”

“You could get an A-Rank awakener card if you made up your mind right now, couldn’t you?”

Hak-joon’s eyes widened at Su-hyeun’s question. Hak-joon had shown only his ability as much as a B-Rank awakener could do. He did the same for the outbreak last time in Anyang. He had prepared himself his own way. When he could surely defeat Jung Dong-yeong, he thought he could trade his life and the cure for Yun-seon. But…

“How do you know?”

“I can just tell.”

“Wow. That sounds a little rude…”

Yun-seon pinched Hak-joon’s thigh.”Mind your manners.”