Shelter [Daesung]'s Human Resources department.
Inside, there was a small private office, and Gwak Jo-won was sitting inside.
In front of Gwak Jo-won stood Park Yoon-gu, who possessed the 'Stealth' skill.
Jo-won said.
"...I saw the Spatial Movement skill he used with my own eyes. It was a method of disappearing from right in front of you and appearing somewhere else, not a movement that opened and closed a gate. That gate is probably... another skill. Potion-making skill, Spatial Movement skill, even a skill that uses gates... That means he's an Awakened with at least a triple rating or higher. When 6th Team Leader wakes up, I need to hear the details about 'him'."
Jo-won tapped the desk with his finger and said.
"I don't care about the other skills, but I really want that 'Potion-making' skill.
A skill that creates potions on a different level than the potions of those [Jukang] Shelter bastards... Those [Jukang] guys... They act like they're doing us a favor when they're just selling us lousy potions..."
Jo-won frowned, recalling the time when he was negotiating with [Jukang] for potion purchases.
The large shelter [Jukang], created in connection with the government and Jukang Enterprise, always seemed to think they were superior to other shelters because they were working with the government.
If Jeong-min made the potions, he could make those [Jukang] guys, who were boasting about their pathetic low-grade potions, eat their words. "...There's no proof that he made the potions himself, is there? He could have received potions made by someone else..."
Cutting off Yoon-gu's words, Jo-won said.
"That doesn't make sense. Is there anyone who would give away two bottles of an amazing potion that can save a dying person to treat a friend? Well, I can't understand that with my common sense. He must have made the potions himself."
Jo-won leaned back in his chair.
"This is where 6th Team Leader is, so he'll be back soon. Post a notice to the entrance security team that if he comes, they must let him through
unconditionally. The next time he visits, I will definitely get him to move into [Daesung]."
Jo-won smiled slyly.
"...No matter what it takes."
Yoon-gu felt goosebumps on his back as he saw Jo-won's smile.
******
"...That's how it's done. But the important thing is, will the others...Jeongmin?"
Jeong-min, who had been staring at the bonfire and lost in thought, looked at Leia in surprise.
Leia narrowed her eyes and said to Jeong-min.
"Are you listening to me?"
Jeong-min was flustered and stammered.
"Ah... I... That..."
Jeong-min apologized to Leia, who was narrowing her eyes and looking at him.
"...I'm sorry. I was lost in thought for a moment. Could you explain it again?" Leia said to Jeong-min in a slightly sulky tone.
"This is important, so don't think about anything else and listen carefully. I'll explain it again.
The training method for exerting extreme power is simple. You do swordsmanship sparring with heavy loads on both arms and legs. The important thing here is that it shouldn't be normal swordsmanship sparring, but sparring where you feel a real sense of crisis, like you're about to die. Then your body will produce extreme power for survival, and you just maintain that state and continue swordsmanship sparring. It's a simple method, right?"
"To summarize... You do swordsmanship sparring in a state where your arms and legs are not free, and you feel the fear of death. Is that right?" Leia nodded.
"Yes, the theory and method are easy. But there are three essential preparations."
"Three preparations?"
"Yes, three."
Leia took another sip of cola and continued.
"A large amount of high-grade potions and a healer with high-level healing skills. And a master of swordsmanship who can make the opponent feel the crisis of death, but never actually kill them. These three things are essential. The reason why potions and a healer are needed is because your body will be in ruins after doing this training once. Training while maintaining extreme power basically damages the body greatly. Because you're exerting power beyond the limits of your body. So you need to be prepared to heal it. And the reason why a master of swordsmanship is needed is because a mediocre attack can't draw out the opponent's extreme power. You have to make them feel a real sense of death to get that extreme power, but with such a dangerous attack, you could accidentally kill the opponent. So you need a master of swordsmanship who can perfectly control their power. I was able to do that training because I had my master and a fellow healer."
"Ah... I see... That's a very crude... No, a simple method. But it's so effective..."
Leia smiled brightly and said.
"It's a crude method, that's right. But it's also a method that guarantees a definite effect.
If Jeong-min wants, I can train you with this method. I have a large amount of high-grade potions... I also have high-level healing skills, and... Well, it's a bit much to say it myself, but I'm also a master of swordsmanship who can perfectly control my power."
Leia blushed slightly as she said the last words.
"But it will be very... very difficult. But you can get stronger at an incredibly fast rate."
Jeong-min pondered after hearing Leia's words.
'At a fast rate... I can get stronger...'
Jeong-min recalled Jun-ki's appearance, lying on the bed with bandages all over his body.
'In a world where the [Trial of God] is taking place... Getting stronger is the most important thing... I need to get stronger to protect my people... I can't pass up this good opportunity.'
Jeong-min looked at Leia and said.
"Then... Could I ask you to do it?"
Leia smiled brightly at Jeong-min's answer.
"I knew you would decide that, Jeong-min. You made a very good decision. Then shall we start right now?"
"Right... Now?"
Leia nodded.
"Yes, right now. There's a saying that everything starts from the moment you make up your mind. If you start a day late, you'll finish a day late."
"Yes... That's right."
"Get up. When you see the stats that have gone up after the training, you'll think you made a really good choice."
Cold sweat ran down Jeong-min's back as he looked at Leia, who was speaking with a bright smile.
******
"Well then, shall we begin?"
Jeong-min replied to Leia's question with a worried voice.
"Yes... Are you sure it'll be okay? It's hard to even lift my arm..."
"Don't worry. You can do it, Jeong-min."
Thin wrist guards were on Jeong-min's wrists. And anklets on his ankles.
The function of these accessories, called Shackles and Cuffs of Growth, which came out of Leia's inventory, was simple.
To be able to adjust the weight as desired.
Leia set the weight of each to 50kg, considering Jeong-min's stats, and Jeongmin was barely standing, enduring a total weight of 200kg.
Jeong-min was holding a sword with no options attached, taken out of Leia's inventory, but he couldn't lift it and was standing trembling with it drooping to the ground.
Leia held up her sword and pointed it at Jeong-min, saying.
"I'm going to attack you with enough power that you can block it. Then..."
The expression disappeared from Leia's face.
Jeong-min swallowed hard.
"...Here I go!!"
Leia instantly rushed towards Jeong-min.
Jeong-min tried to lift his sword to block Leia's attack, but the wrist guards, totaling 100kg, were pressing down on Jeong-min's arms.
Jeong-min's pupils widened and goosebumps rose on his back.
Leia's quickly swung blade plunged towards Jeong-min's neck.
'At this rate, I'm really going to die...'
Before he could finish his thought, Leia's blade had already stopped, touching Jeong-min's neck.
Jeong-min took a deep breath and took a step back.
It was only a short moment, but the sweat that had poured out soaked Jeongmin's back.
Drip.
Blood flowed from a small wound on Jeong-min's neck.
"How was it? Did you feel the fear of death?"
Jeong-min just stared blankly at Leia, unable to even answer Leia's question.
Leia raised her sword again and said.
"I'll go again. I hope you can unleash your extreme power this time."
"Wait..."
Leia rushed towards Jeong-min again.
Ooh.
Jeong-min felt like his hair was standing on end.
Moment.
Jeong-min felt like the surrounding time was flowing slowly.
He could see Leia's sword slowly approaching his head, and he could think.
At the same time, memories from Jeong-min's childhood to adulthood slowly flowed through his head.
'What is this... Is this what they call a panoramic memory...'
The death of Jeong-min's mother, the death of Cloud, and even the scene of Jun-ki lying in the hospital room slowly appeared and passed in order in Jeong-min's head.
Jeong-min clenched his teeth so hard they felt like they would break.
'I... I... Can't die...!'
In that instant, Jeong-min lifted his arm, which had been drooping down, and swung it with all his might.
"Kuaaaaaaak!"
Clang!
Jeong-min's sword and Leia's sword collided, and sparks flew.
Jeong-min felt the tremendous pain in his arm and felt that the slowly flowing time had returned to normal.
Leia attacked again, driving Jeong-min into a corner, and Jeong-min frantically blocked Leia's attacks.
His whole body was screaming.
His arms and legs seemed to be creaking, and he could taste a bitter taste of blood in his mouth.
After about ten minutes of back-and-forth.
Leia stopped attacking.
"Good job, Jeong-min."
Jeong-min couldn't even answer Leia and collapsed to the ground.
As the training ended, he began to feel the pain in his body in earnest.
Jeong-min couldn't even scream and was just writhing and moaning softly. Leia came over and picked up Jeong-min.
"Don't move, just listen. Your bones and even your internal organs must be damaged. I'll heal you completely, so don't worry. If it's too painful and difficult, you can just pass out."
As Leia whispered softly, Jeong-min lost consciousness.
Leia gently stroked Jeong-min's body with her hands covered in white healing light.
After some time had passed and Jeong-min's body had been healed, Leia took out a high-grade potion and slowly poured it into Jeong-min's mouth.
After Jeong-min had finished drinking the potion, Leia laid him down next to the bonfire and spoke to him once again.
"Good job, Jeong-min."
*********
"You don't have the Potion-making skill? That can't be..."
"Yes, well, I didn't test the skill itself, so I can't say for sure, but... The skills I heard about at that time were Spatial Movement, Clairvoyance, and Base Designation, or something like that.
I didn't hear anything about the Potion-making skill. If he had mentioned the Potion-making skill, there's no way I would have rejected his application. We're already short on doctors and people with healing skills..."
Gwak Jo-won was lost in thought as he listened to the words of Kim Yoonsoo, the assistant manager in charge of shelter admissions.
'He didn't have the Potion-making skill? Did he hide a skill? No, he came to request admission to the shelter, there's no need to hide the most useful skill...
Is there really someone else behind him? An Awakened who can make potions separately... But how can he give away two such amazing potions?' Gwak Jo-won tapped the armrest of the sofa and was lost in thought.
Kim Yoon-soo was sitting across from Jo-won, fidgeting and waiting for Jowon's reaction.
'I don't know much about that person either... Other than that he's a friend of 6th Team Leader...'
Gwak Jo-won heard from Jun-hee, the younger sibling of 6th Team Leader, that Jeong-min had applied for admission to this shelter, and summoned Kim Yoon-soo, who was in charge of shelter admissions.
Thanks to that, Kim Yoon-soo was summoned by Gwak Jo-won and was nervously having a private meeting.
Gwak Jo-won, who had been sitting silently as if lost in thought for a long time, said to Kim Yoon-soo.
"Huh? You're still here? Go do your work."
Kim Yoon-soo cursed inwardly and got up.
Gwak Jo-won said to Yoon-soo, who was getting up.
"Ah, that person named Choi Jeong-min, you're sure he doesn't have any combat skills, right?"
"Yes, if he had even one combat skill, I would have allowed him to enter. The other skills were promising, too. But why..."
"It's nothing. Go ahead. And find 3rd Team Leader and 4th Team Leader and send them to my office."
"...Yes, I understand."
Kim Yoon-soo bowed his head and walked out of Gwak Jo-won's office.
"Damn it, am I his errand boy or what? This is so disgusting..."Kim Yoonsoo, in a voice too quiet for anyone to hear, grumbled in anger and went to find 3rd Team Leader and 4th Team Leader.
Gwak Jo-won, who was sitting in the office, muttered as he sank deeply into the sofa.
"Well... I guess I can just ask him directly what I'm curious about. I wonder when he'll be back..."
A faint smile formed on Gwak Jo-won's lips.