novelraw Chapter 128 : Conceptualization Technique (思想技) (1)
Chapter 128 : Conceptualization Technique (思想技) (1)
Conceptualization Technique (思想技) (1)
"So, why did you call all of us here?"
Shin Ah-yeon was in a rather bad mood today.
It was the first weekend since Park Jung-woo had returned from the United States.
She had wanted to meet up, listen to stories about America, and get some rest, but suddenly, she had gotten a message telling her to come to the training hall.
"Ah, is it perhaps because of that thing called the Relic Fiesta?"
At her words, Park Jung-woo looked flustered instead.
"Where did you hear that from now?"
"The President told me. He said you're sending Soo-ah and Alencia to support at the Relic Fiesta...and asked me to try to stop you."
It seemed Sung-hwan had tried to use her to persuade him.
'But as if that would work.'
No matter what, it was set that Soo-ah and Alencia would go to the Relic Fiesta.
First of all, as originally agreed, Yeon-ji wasn't an S-rank to begin with, and Shin Ah-yeon judged that Soo-ah and Alencia would be more helpful than herself.
"The reasons I'm recommending this event to Soo-ah and Alencia are twofold."
The Relic Fiesta was an international event, with countless TV stations coming out to film the scene. Since it was being held in Korea this time, Korean broadcasters would be putting in their utmost effort to cover it. If they participated as security, there was a high probability their faces would be shown.
"Also, it's rare to get real experience escorting at such a large event."
Particularly at this event, there was a very high chance they would have to deal with 'actual combat'.
The reason was none other than the "materials" being put up for auction at this Relic Fiesta.
"There'll be dragonbone at the Relic Fiesta."
"... What?"
Shin Ah-yeon, who had been looking uninterested, widened her eyes at Park Jung-woo's words.
What did he just say would appear?
"Dragonbone? Is that the one I know? The thing that came from the dragon caught in America... Is that right?"
"That's right."
Dragonbone, in other words, was dragon bone.
It was an incredibly rare material, not just on Earth but even over there, several times rarer than orichalcum, known as the best magical metal.
"Well, couldn't I do the escort? I'm really good at it."
It seemed Shin Ah-yeon coveted the dragonbone, as she quietly raised her hand.
"Why, so you can sneak it away?"
"N-no, of course not! I just wanted to take a look at it. Really, just a look."
She spoke with an infinitely innocent smile, but the greed in her eyes could not be hidden.
Normally it didn't show, but Shin Ah-yeon was a mage after all.
If she saw such a rare magical material as dragonbone, it was only natural for her heart to be stirred.
'If I reinforce my staff with that—!'
The staff Shin Ah-yeon currently used was one Park Jung-woo had made for her.
Its main material was a branch of Yggdrasil that had grown in Shin Ah-yeon's own yard.
Naturally, it boasted great performance, better than any staff currently in existence, but if it could be further empowered by dragonbone—
It would literally be an endgame-level staff for a mage.
'If I'm not careful, we might've ended up bringing in a criminal ourselves...'
Park Jung-woo deliberately avoided her gaze.
But dragonbone was not something you could get just because you wanted it.
Likely, the world's wealthiest would participate in the auction—how could she buy it?
Park Jung-woo also coveted the dragonbone, in truth, but since there were other materials that could substitute, he wasn't greedy for it in particular.
"Manager, you called us together today to prepare for that, right? If there's dragonbone, dangerous criminals could show up."
"You're right, Soo-ah."
As expected of upright Soo-ah, unlike the greedy great mage, she wasn't shaken at all by material desire.
Park Jung-woo inwardly admired her proper attitude as he continued.
"Hopefully nothing happens at this Relic Fiesta, but given the material involved, it will be dangerous."
The Relic Fiesta already tended to feature precious items.
Not only rare materials, but also prototypes of state-of-the-art hunter equipment were often sold there.
"So, I'm planning to have Soo-ah and Alencia practice fighting against other Awakener until then."
"Training to fight against other Awakener?"
Normally, awakened fought monsters more often than other Awakener like themselves.
But Soo-ah and Alencia had already had considerable experience fighting not just monsters, but other Awakener as well.
Soo-ah from Super Hunter K, and Alencia from Challengers.
"But that, wasn't it in situations without any 'danger'? And in Soo-ah's case, most of her opponents weren't even at that level."
Soo-ah had gone all out only once.
"Both Soo-ah and Alencia suddenly became S-rank, skipping a lot of steps in the process. This time, I'm planning to fill in those gaps for sure. For that, I've invited two instructors."
"Instructors...?"
Wondering what he was talking about, she looked at him, and Park Jung-woo smiled.
"One instructor... is our own Hunter Shin Ah-yeon here."
"...? Me?"
Suddenly called out, Shin Ah-yeon pointed at herself with her index finger, but Park Jung-woo didn't even look her way.
"And the other..."
He beckoned toward the entrance of the training hall, signaling someone to come in.
Then, slowly, the door opened, and a familiar-faced man walked in.
"That is none other than the 'Thousand Swords', hunter Baek Hojun."
"... Pleasure to meet you."
Hojun gave an awkward smile at Park Jung-woo's introduction.
***
Hojun had been inwardly surprised when Park Jung-woo had suddenly contacted him.
"You want to make me a sword, in exchange for helping with training?"
The swords used by Hunters were never ordinary.
The materials were special, and they had to be forged with magic power, meaning they needed to be handmade.
It was possible to mass-produce them with machines, but somehow, the durability was not as good.
According to magic engineers, magic power itself was influenced by the "image" emitted by living beings, and since machines lacked such images, it was impossible to make high-quality items with them.
Naturally, people who possessed the skill to forge using magic power were rare, and their level varied hugely.
'So that sword was made by Manager Park Jung-woo.'
Having crossed swords with Soo-ah himself, Hojun knew.
That wasn't just a normal sword.
Even the metal was something he'd never seen before, and its quality needed no words.
He had wondered who the maker could be, as it was the work of someone more skilled than any artisan he'd ever met.
He never expected that the mysterious artisan would turn out to be Jung-woo.
"Well, I guess Manager Park pulling that off makes sense... Still, given those terms, I guess this training won't be ordinary. Am I right?"
"Yes. Both Soo-ah and Alencia suddenly became S-rank Hunters, and there's something important they haven't gone through."
"Haven't gone through...?"
"The Conceptualization Technique (思想技)."
In America, S-rank Hunters, often called 'Special Ones', were distinguished by this very technique.
Normally, you would only reach S-rank after mastering this, but Soo-ah and Alencia had become S-rank without ever learning it.
Something typically impossible, but their genius and the power of the gods had made it possible.
***
What would you say is the biggest difference between an S-rank and an A-rank Awakener?
Their immense physical strength?
Or overwhelming magic power?
Perhaps a peerless martial prowess?
But the reason why the gap between S-rank and A-rank is so immense despite being only a single rank apart is precisely whether or not they possess the "Conceptualization Technique (思想技)."
"To put it simply—it's like the ultimate move, or a secret technique, like you see in comics. Something like that."
"I heard something like that existed... Was it real?"
Soo-ah stared wide-eyed at me and then at Hojun, glancing back and forth.
It was true that you rarely saw it in practice, since S-rank Hunters could solve most problems without even resorting to the Conceptualization Technique.
"You've already seen it once, Soo-ah."
"M-me?"
"Baek Hojun's 'Thousand Swords Descent (千劍落下)'—that's his Conceptualization Technique."
"That's it?"
Soo-ah reflexively covered her mouth and looked at Hojun.
Hojun was smiling, but his lips subtly quivered.
"N-no! It's not what you think! I-I just meant I didn't know that was the Conceptualization Technique at the time!"
"... Well, didn't you block it with a plain sword, Soo-ah? You deserve to say that much."
"Ugh, urgh."
Soo-ah seemed to have realized her mistake and hung her head.
She probably thought she had said something inappropriate to Baek Hojun, who now wore a somber expression.
'Knowing him, he's just teasing.'
Baek Hojun wasn't the type to care about such things, anyway.
And now that his Conceptualization Technique had advanced after breaking through that wall, there was no need to dwell on it.
"So, does Manager-nim have a technique like that too?"
Just then, Alencia came up close—when had she appeared?—and asked.
Since Alencia knew a bit about my power, she must have guessed I could use a Conceptualization Technique.
"Unfortunately, it's difficult for me. There's a problem."
"A problem?"
"It's kind of complicated to explain."
The power I possessed differed fundamentally from ordinary Awakener, so I couldn't use a Conceptualization Technique.
The Conceptualization Technique itself was something only manifested through the martial prowess or knowledge S-rank Awakener built up.
"Then... I can't use it either?"
"Alencia, your power is influenced by your mind or spirit, so it's possible for you. Of course, I'm not sure what form it would take."
"Really? Then, I..."
Alencia's voice trailed off as she tried to say something more.
When I looked, Shin Ah-yeon was dragging her by the arm.
"Stop messing around. Come here, I'll teach you, so listen to your teacher."
"I want to learn from Manager-nim..."
"He said he can't use it. If he could, do you think he'd have had you learn from me? Right?"
"Eh? Oh, yeah, that's right."
I nodded absentmindedly as Shin Ah-yeon threw me a sidelong, sharp look.
For some reason, her gaze felt chilly.
I hadn't done anything wrong, yet my body trembled for no reason.
'Still, she caught on right away.'
It was fitting: sword-wielder Soo-ah would learn from Baek Hojun, and Alencia, who had mentally impacted powers, would learn from Shin Ah-yeon.
Shin Ah-yeon had picked up on that and was dragging Alencia away.
"But unni, you can use something like that too?"
"Not right now."
At Soo-ah's question, Shin Ah-yeon shook her head.
Soo-ah looked startled at that reply.
"Why, why not? Don't tell me..."
She started to speak but quickly shut her mouth.
She seemed to think it was because of the aftereffects from her damaged mana hall.
"I don't have enough magic power."
"... Huh?"
"I'm still short on circles, so my total magic power isn't enough. My technique consumes too much magic power."
Shin Ah-yeon was currently at 7th-circle.
Only recently had she barely reached 7th-circle, but her total magic power was still lacking.
'To hit 7th-circle in under a year. If mages from the other world saw this, they'd faint.'
In terms of rank alone, she was already on par with her past prime.
Of course, her magic power reserve was still insufficient, but she'd catch up soon enough.
'Come to think of it, I've never actually seen Shin Ah-yeon's Conceptualization Technique.'
Considering she didn't use it when stopping the rift, it likely wasn't simply an ability-enhancement type. Usually, mages control phenomena through 'magic', so they didn't turn special techniques into their Conceptualization Techniques.
So, most mages had buff-type skills that enabled more efficient magic use.
I assumed that would apply to Shin Ah-yeon, but couldn't be sure.
'Maybe it's influenced by her past life's abilities.'
For someone who had dragged Alencia, Shin Ah-yeon was now teaching her quite enthusiastically.
I could only watch her with mixed feelings.
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
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