Chapter 22: The Awakening of Power

Shin Ji-ho’s magical power coalesced into a skill. [Star’s Blessing] radiated light befitting its grand name, enhancing Heo So-ri’s physique beyond her inherent limits. As the skill took effect, Heo So-ri’s trembling body gradually stabilized. Unlike moments before, her face was now brimming with self-assurance.

“Hunter Im Seung-ju.”

“What is it?”

Shin Ji-ho addressed Im Seung-ju, who was observing the scene with a bored, indifferent expression. Im Seung-ju’s reply was curt and dismissive.

Shin Ji-ho, confronting a face as displeased as one might make when seeing a fanatic engrossed in a cult, forced a smile, etching the character for ‘patience’ into his mind for the thousandth time.

“After you receive my skill, try to control your power a little.”

“I can manage that myself.”

His tone clearly conveyed his skepticism, as if questioning how much a mere skill could possibly change.

‘Just try it once,’

Shin Ji-ho grinned and activated the skill on Im Seung-ju as well.

[Star’s Blessing.]

A divine blessing bestowed by the purest soul with unadulterated magical power.

Despite the somewhat embarrassing skill description, an equally pure magic permeated Im Seung-ju. This unadulterated power settled within him, awakening even the dormant strengths he hadn’t known he possessed.

“This is…”

For a moment, Im Seung-ju’s body swayed precariously. He quickly steadied himself, his eyes widening in disbelief, his face a mask of astonishment.

Forgetting the ongoing situation, he couldn’t help but turn to Shin Ji-ho.

“Hyaap!”

Meanwhile, Heo So-ri’s fist, accompanied by a powerful shout, plunged into the monster.

Heo So-ri, a perfectly ordinary C-rank Hunter.

She was an unremarkable combat-type Hunter, typically only able to defeat B-rank Gate monsters by cooperating with other Hunters.

Yet, with a single strike from her, the armor plating on the flank of what was at least an A-rank monster shattered.

“Grwoooaaarrgh!”

The monster let out a desperate shriek. Writhing in agony, it swung the horn on its head towards Heo So-ri.

While its speed would have previously sent her flying, Heo So-ri nimbly dodged. Leaping gracefully to evade, she then stomped down with her foot on the still-intact armor on its back.

*Crack!

Unable to withstand the immense impact, the armor completely disintegrated. Tender flesh was revealed beneath the fragments that clattered to the ground.

“Th-that… Wasn’t Hunter Heo So-ri a C-rank?”

Yang Ho-jin, who had been waiting nearby, muttered in astonishment.

Although Heo So-ri was indeed C-rank, her current stats were unequivocally not at a C-rank level.

The 400 magical power Shin Ji-ho bestowed with [Star’s Blessing] enhanced all of her stats by up to 400. While vulnerable stats received only half the enhancement, this was hardly a significant drawback.

After all, her other stats had nearly quintupled in strength.

Heo So-ri deftly leaped backward, evading the monster as it thrashed its horn in a desperate struggle.

Then, from behind her, Im Seung-ju, who had been standing still, drew his sword.

‘…’

Im Seung-ju, his lips barely moving in an inaudible whisper as he activated a skill, swung his sword. Following the arc of his blade, a crescent-moon-shaped burst of silver magic materialized, shooting forward instantly.

As the launched magic flew, it grew exponentially, cleanly bisecting the monster whose armor Heo So-ri had already shattered. It then struck another monster emerging from the Gate, felling it instantly.

This was Im Seung-ju’s signature skill, one he wielded with his sword.

While inherently powerful, it typically wasn’t strong enough to cut down an A-rank monster in a single blow. A-rank monsters possessed inherent magical resistance in their bodies, halving the skill’s effectiveness.

Yet, Im Seung-ju’s skill now cleaved through the A-rank monster with the effortless ease of dispatching an F-rank creature.

“In-incredible…”

Yang Ho-jin exclaimed in awe from beside them. Hearing his voice, Shin Ji-ho quietly closed his slightly agape mouth.

To be honest, Im Seung-ju’s attack had far surpassed Shin Ji-ho’s expectations.

Up until now, he had only used the skill on three individuals: the middle schooler Kim Dong-su, Heo So-ri, and Seon Tae-woong. Based on the inferences drawn from these three experiences, Shin Ji-ho had bestowed differing amounts of magical power upon Heo So-ri and Im Seung-ju.

During his tests, Heo So-ri typically absorbed around 400 units of magical power with ease. While she could handle 500 or even 600 when in peak condition, anything beyond that led to complications.

She would either struggle with power control, like the middle schooler who used psychokinesis and expended all the given magic at once, or she would simply collapse from exhaustion.

Indeed, Kim Dong-su, after using strong psychokinesis, had reportedly been bedridden for about two days, suggesting that [Star’s Blessing] wasn’t entirely without its limits.

However, when given more magical power than she could typically accommodate, Heo So-ri proved more resilient and capable of control than the previous middle schooler.

Suspecting this might be due to a difference in rank, Shin Ji-ho decided to test Im Seung-ju, bestowing 1000 units of magical power upon him.

As expected, Im Seung-ju endured it far better than Heo So-ri.

It was similar to his experience with Seon Tae-woong. Though he hadn’t been able to confirm precisely at the time due to the chaos, he had frantically poured a considerable amount of magic into Seon Tae-woong, enhancing him significantly.

Even as an A-rank, Seon Tae-woong had utilized that power remarkably well.

[Star’s Blessing].

This skill had the potential to make anyone stronger. Ultimately, however, its efficiency increased with the target’s rank.

It could transform a dog into a lion, but never an ant into one.

He had initially thought that he could simply gather magic and enhance lower-ranked Hunters.

However, under these circumstances, it was undeniably more advantageous to gather high-ranked Hunters.

Shin Ji-ho’s ultimate goal was to transform Noname into an S-rank guild capable of participating in dungeon raids and making a name for itself.

‘Typically, this kind of skill efficiency improves with mastery.’

Currently, [Star’s Blessing] was only at Level 1. As its level increased, it might become possible to bestow even larger amounts of magical power upon lower-ranked Hunters.

Of course, leveling up a skill was never an easy feat.

Therefore, for the time being, utilizing high-ranked Hunters was the most efficient way to maximize the skill’s potential.

‘Looks like I’ll have to keep seeing Im Seung-ju’s face.’

He had intended to terminate his contract with Im Seung-ju early and fill the guild with suitable B-ranks if Heo So-ri proved sufficient. However, A-ranks were undeniably in a league of their own.

Furthermore, Im Seung-ju’s skill was particularly potent and efficient, even among combat-type Hunters.

While he primarily used physical attacks, he could imbue his sword with magic of specific attributes, allowing him to counter monsters vulnerable only to magical attacks.

Unaware that Shin Ji-ho, who had been looking for any excuse to expel him, was now leaning towards keeping him, Im Seung-ju was completely engrossed in his newfound power, wildly swinging his sword.

Before his awakening, Im Seung-ju had originally aspired to be a baseball player. Becoming a professional baseball player had been his dream since childhood, a singular goal he had relentlessly pursued.

However, an injury had abruptly shattered his dream. Giving up what he loved and pursuing a mundane academic life had been uneventful, yet utterly boring.

He longed to stand at home plate once more. He yearned to experience the thrill of a ball connecting with his bat and soaring through the air during a game.

It was during this time, while he was still dreaming impossible dreams, that Im Seung-ju awakened.

At the moment of his awakening, Im Seung-ju happened to be at a baseball practice field. Lacking a proper weapon, he regretfully swung the baseball bat he was holding, using it to strike down the monster.

Exhaling with the exhilaration of his first victory, Im Seung-ju became convinced that this path would be his second calling, his new form of baseball.

Even when he joined Cheongram and made a name for himself, his motivation was boundless.

However, around the time his father’s company began to falter, Shin Ji-ho awakened and founded a guild.

Cheongram, presenting conditions that could save his father’s company, proposed a transfer to Noname. While the transfer was technically by Im Seung-ju’s own will, his heart simply refused to follow his reason.

It felt as though he had reached the major leagues, only to be suddenly expelled.

His work at Noname was also exceedingly dull compared to his past endeavors. Im Seung-ju, who once cleared dungeons of at least B-rank, was now relegated to merely handling B-rank rifts at best.

For the past year, watching his former comrades flourish, he had felt utterly stagnant.

He had harbored countless resentments, believing his sword was growing slower and weaker.

But now.

Following Im Seung-ju’s will, his sword carved a fluid, flowing trajectory. Magic coalesced with each arc, and skills were unleashed as naturally and effortlessly as breathing.

A-rank monsters fell with the simplicity of frail creatures.

As clearly as the results before his eyes, Im Seung-ju was profoundly intoxicated by his own strength.

‘What *is* this power?’

Power surged through his entire body. It was a strength that easily surpassed his former self.

At this very moment, he felt capable of contending with S-rank Hunter Seo Min-jeong, who was currently undertaking a dungeon raid, even if challenging SS-rank Joo Yi-won was still beyond his grasp.

The disparity in ranks was immense.

Especially, the difference between A-rank and S-rank was absolute.

The few S-ranks in the world were monsters of a different caliber entirely from those below them. Alternatively, they possessed uniquely useful abilities.

There were four S-ranks in Korea.

Kang Tae-ju, a free Hunter operating overseas; Kim Tae-yong, Guild Master of Mir; Seo Min-jeong, Guild Master of Thousand Arrows; and Hwang Hye-rim, Guild Master of Noseh.

With the exception of Hwang Hye-rim, who had attained S-rank due to her exceptionally useful skills, all the others were combat-type Hunters.

While Im Seung-ju was considered strong among A-rank Hunters, he had always felt an insurmountable wall whenever he encountered an S-rank combat-type Hunter.

S-ranks were simply in a different league. They were like monsters who had evolved into a different species the moment they awakened, much like a deer could never defeat a lion.

Now, however, he felt he could, to some extent, hold his own against those monsters, if not on equal footing.

And that wasn’t all.

Though it might be difficult to notice amidst the overflowing power, his sudden surge in strength wasn’t merely due to increased physical stats like stamina or brute force.

His body moved, subtly adjusting itself even as it followed his will. He naturally recognized flaws he hadn’t realized before, instinctively seeking out superior methods.

This refined, efficient movement momentarily elevated Im Seung-ju, evolving him into a higher-tier Hunter.

No, it couldn’t simply be dismissed as a momentary effect.

Im Seung-ju swung his sword, focusing intently on his movements. The sensations of this moment would be powerfully etched into his mind.

If he could perfectly internalize these current sensations, Im Seung-ju was certain he could become even stronger. With this power, he would undoubtedly survive an S-rank collection-type dungeon.

After all, Seon Tae-woong wasn’t an easy Hunter to deal with.

‘But could Shin Ji-ho really be responsible?’

Even as he received the skill directly and soared with newfound power, he found it hard to believe.

After all, for the past year, Shin Ji-ho had been nothing more than an inconvenient burden to him.

As if to wash away his doubts, the overwhelming power swept away the monsters like autumn leaves in a gale. It was incredibly easy and simple to sever their necks the moment they crawled out of the Gate, much like clearing an F-rank rift.

Soon, all the monsters lay defeated, and the turbulent Gate quieted. Then, unlike before, Shin Ji-ho, who had been waiting behind them, approached.

“Were you both alright?”

“Yes! It’s even better when I use it in a real fight!”

Watching Heo So-ri smile brightly, Im Seung-ju realized an emotion he had never felt before. It was a peculiar jealousy.

If a skill like this existed, shouldn’t it have been tested on him first, as the guild’s main Hunter?

“Hunter Im Seung-ju, how was it for you?”

Shin Ji-ho’s face, as he smiled brightly and asked, showed no ill will towards the vice-guild master who had previously ignored him. This made Im Seung-ju feel even more awkward.

Even with that smile, Im Seung-ju knew that Shin Ji-ho didn’t particularly like him. It was only natural that he wouldn’t. Im Seung-ju had acted in ways that forced Shin Ji-ho to dislike him; he had wanted the angered young master to terminate the contract first.

However, Shin Ji-ho had never once shown it. He had always responded with a smile, even in the face of Im Seung-ju’s constant unpleasant behavior.

In truth, he knew. Shin Ji-ho wasn’t the spoiled rich kid he had initially imagined, and he had continuously strived to improve.

Despite knowing this, he had ignored it. He had believed Noname wasn’t where he belonged. He simply wanted to leave this humble nest, which was nothing more than a B-rank guild.

But Noname would soon become a magnificent fortress, not a humble nest. The very place Im Seung-ju had ignored and wished to see crumble.

“It’s fine.”

He tried to answer as usual, but the words tasted bitter.

If he hadn’t acted that way, Shin Ji-ho would surely have practiced the skill with him, not Heo So-ri. A feeling Im Seung-ju couldn’t quite define filled him completely.