Instructor Seo explained about the Dimensional Power Meter and Detector.
“Recently, the company’s researchers studied the power of Awakened and monsters, and discovered that while similar, they are also different. They also found that monsters ignore the causal laws of this world, which led them to hypothesize that monsters are lifeforms from another world.”
Yonghoon was dumbfounded inside.
He figured the scientists from the other world who had studied the Dimensional Beasts would feel wronged.
“After that, they analyzed the power used by Awakened and monsters and created this smart watch. This large smart watch contains both a monster detector that can sense nearby monsters and a meter to check your own abilities.”
He put the smart watch on his wrist. A light came on in the screen, about the size of a business card.
“Well, you can just call it a smart watch. But the company calls it a Dimensional Watch, based on the earlier hypothesis.”
Then he handed out the smart watches to everyone.
“It’s pretty expensive, but since you’ll need it anyway, I’ll distribute them for free. It’s fairly durable, but try not to break it. If it breaks, I’ll charge you next time. Each one costs five million won. They’ll be sold later, but right now supply seems limited.”
Everyone strapped the smart watches with the detector on their wrists and tried operating them as instructed by Instructor Seo.
Yonghoon briefly checked the smart watch’s operation and then immediately put it in his bag.
Eunseo, while trying to operate her smart watch, saw Yonghoon putting his into his bag.
“Huh? Yonghoon, aren’t you going to wear yours? Everyone’s going wild trying to check theirs.”
Yonghoon sighed inwardly.
He was already annoyed by her sticking to him and asking questions nonstop.
“I plan to check it when I get home.”
Yonghoon replied curtly. But he did plan to check it later.
First, he needed to inspect the inside of the device.
In the other world, the monster detector appeared one year after the monsters emerged, and the Dimensional Power Meter came out after two years.
The problem was when the Dimensional Power Meter was released. It wasn’t a fancy screen like now, but more like a digital watch that only showed numbers-and it secretly included a communication module.
With that module, the company was able to obtain real-time data on Awakened.
When the Awakened later found out, they naturally protested about the invasion of privacy, and the company countered by claiming it was a necessary function for managing Awakened.
In the end, the governments of each country, which had been sharing information with the company, sided with the company, and many angry Awakened modified their meters through underground channels.
This time too, there was a high chance something had been done to the device. If Yonghoon were just an ordinary Awakened, it wouldn’t matter, but since he was growing faster than most, Link System Company would definitely take notice.
After seeing the Dimensional Power Meter at city hall, Yonghoon had been looking for someone who specialized in modifying electronic devices. And recently, he had finally found the right person. It was time to meet him.
As Yonghoon was lost in thought, Eunseo observed him closely.
Inside the Training Center, Yonghoon tried his best not to stand out. Using his early sparring mistake as a lesson, he did his best to stay just above average.
Yonghoon had no intention of becoming a protruding branch that would be cut off. He had seen too many Awakened who charged into the frontlines against monsters and died.
He planned to grow strong in secret and become a towering tree that could one day negotiate directly with the president of Link System.
But it seemed that didn’t work on Eunseo. She stuck to Yonghoon until the very end, observing him like she was dissecting him.
“I’ve decided to join a team under Link System. What about you, Yonghoon? If you’re interested, I could recommend you.”
Eunseo had stood out throughout the training. She picked up everything so quickly that other Awakened couldn’t keep up. That’s why people tilted their heads when they saw her following Yonghoon around.
“I’m not good enough to be in a place like that.”
Yonghoon shook his head, and Eunseo looked at him with a puzzled expression.
“That can’t be right.”
Yonghoon pretended not to hear her muttering to herself.
In the end, the conversation ended with Yonghoon’s refusal, but Eunseo and Yonghoon exchanged contact information. Yonghoon had needed an informant inside Link System, so he accepted immediately.
And that day, everyone was discharged. The week-long training had come to an end.
First, a government official gave a long-winded congratulatory speech, and then Manager Oh from Link System stepped forward to speak for the first time in a while.
“Five million won has been deposited into each of your accounts. Also, if you encounter a monster you can’t handle, please contact the number we provided.”
Manager Oh scanned the crowd and continued.
“As the instructor probably told you, try to gather in groups when facing monsters. It’s dangerous to go alone. Also, once you’ve defeated a monster, contact that number again and a recovery team will be dispatched.”
He paused, glanced at the government official, and then continued.
“When you leave, you’ll be using buses we’ve arranged. Apparently, the government has made a public statement about the Training Center. There are reporters swarming outside.”
Recently, damage from monsters had been increasing. As public outrage grew, the government seemed to have revealed the Training Center as a way to calm things down.
Rumor had it the government was also gathering Awakened who had emerged among the military. But out of 600,000 soldiers, only a few had Awakened.
Seeing how the government officials had been watching the training with such intensity, they must have been trying to gather as much information as possible.
All Awakened except the five who chose to stay with Link System boarded the bus. Yonghoon was the last to board and looked back at Instructor Seo standing at the rear.
Instructor Seo, standing silently, looked like an ordinary person again.
Outside of training, Instructor Seo always looked like this. When Yonghoon found it odd and spoke to him, he reverted to his rough demeanor.
That’s why Yonghoon still hadn’t figured him out.
Moreover, Instructor Seo didn’t seem to know much about Link System.
Yonghoon had disguised his questions as casual ones and asked a few things, but got almost nothing in return. He eventually gave up trying to get more information.
Urged by the driver, Yonghoon got on the bus.
In the end, he erased thoughts of Instructor Seo’s possible mental illness from his mind.
The bus pushed through the reporters and exited the Training Center. Some Awakened struck poses for the cameras, but Yonghoon raised his collar and avoided them.
Back home, Yonghoon checked the internet. Though it could be done easily on a phone, he preferred using a computer.
He had checked briefly before and already knew, but by now the world had become aware of the monsters’ existence.
With the number of deaths already in the thousands, it was impossible for people not to know. Even Korea had seen over ten deaths.
Some people panicked, claiming the end of the world had come, but those voices quieted down after seeing Awakened from Link System hunting monsters.
In fact, there were even rumors that Awakened were divine warriors sent by the gods.
And this morning, the Korean government was the first to speak publicly about the Awakened Training Center. Other countries followed suit, announcing their own training centers.
But only advanced nations cooperating with Link System in about ten countries could make such announcements. The rest fell into chaos after hearing the news.
Yonghoon thought that maybe the damage from monsters would be less in this world. The response had been incredibly fast.
In the other world, confusion lasted over a month, and even after realizing Awakened could hunt monsters, it took several more months to organize a system.
By then, the death toll had already reached tens of thousands, and even D-rank monsters had appeared.
But here, they seemed to be steadily dealing with F-rank monsters while waiting for higher-level ones to appear.
Though he felt conflicted seeing how aggressively Link System was promoting itself, Yonghoon reminded himself to be patient.
The next day, Yonghoon went to see the electronics modification expert he had tracked down earlier. He had found the man through the internet and a private investigator.
Yonghoon met him in an old building in Yongsan. The man wore round glasses and even looked a bit dim-witted.
The place was filled with exposed electronic devices, most of which Yonghoon had never seen before.
“You said over the phone that you needed to inspect the inside of some electronic equipment, right?”
Yonghoon nodded and took out the smart watch he had brought.
“No way……”
The man looked at Yonghoon.
“It’s a Dimensional Power Meter. Also works as a monster detector.”
As Yonghoon finished speaking, the man’s eyes sparkled as he looked at the detector.
“Would you consider selling it to me after I inspect it? I’ll pay you double whatever you paid for it.”
Just as the investigator had said, he really was an electronics enthusiast.
“If I can get another one later, I’ll let you know.”
Yonghoon said, and the man took the detector and began disassembling it.
Despite his appearance, his skills looked impressive even to Yonghoon.
Thirty minutes later, the man looked up and asked Yonghoon a question.
“There are a few unknown components, but they seem related to superpowers. The rest looks ordinary.”
Yonghoon asked him,
“Is there no communication module?”
The man tilted his head.
“Well of course there is. But interestingly, it’s hidden in an incredibly tiny space.”
Just as expected, they hadn’t left it alone. Yonghoon asked him to modify it.
“Please disable that component.”
An hour later, Yonghoon left the building holding the modified smart watch.
Back home, after dinner, Yonghoon looked around the house again. He saw the triangular iron structure stretching across the room.
Right now, the Dimensional Core had been removed, so only the ugly structure remained in place.
Yonghoon gave the iron structure a shake. It seemed the strength had already weakened. The iron rods couldn’t withstand the Dimensional Repulsion forever.
After finishing training, every time Yonghoon returned home, he had continued practicing Dimensional Power inside that space. Thanks to that, he had gained considerable power.
But now, he had access to a better method.
Yonghoon put on a cap and a hoodie. Then he wore a secondhand leather jacket over it. Since he couldn’t wear Anti-stab Clothing, the leather jacket would have to do for now.
Yonghoon checked his all-black outfit in the mirror and felt satisfied.
Now, his face and body had come to closely resemble his counterpart in the other world. The training he’d undergone was finally paying off. He touched his slightly gaunt face with his hand and strapped the smart watch onto his wrist.
When he pressed the detector button on the corner, a radar appeared on the small screen. The 200 meters around him were clear. Yonghoon once again marveled at the science and technology of this world. In the other world, a detector of this caliber required a device the size of a small bag.
Moreover, since most of the facilities had been destroyed, even Yonghoon’s division was only able to distribute one detector per platoon.
“Nice!”
Yonghoon gave a low shout of focus as he looked at himself in the mirror.
It was now time to hunt.
Yonghoon set off into the dark night streets.