An Awakened's strength was determined by the ability they possessed.
But an Awakened's worth was not decided simply by whether their ability was good or bad.
Everything could change depending on how they honed it.
“Today, to mark the twentieth anniversary of the Great Awakening Era, we have a special guest. Please welcome expert trainer Ko Beom-jun!”
“Hello. I am Ko Beom-jun.”
How they used their ability.
And the direction in which they developed it.
Those choices could change everything.
The people who analyzed abilities and provided suitable training were Awakened trainers.
The bodies of the Awakened were far stronger than those of ordinary people and could endure even the hardest training.
Naturally, they could also grow stronger much faster.
That made training tailored to each person important.
Whether an ability was strong or weak, training could develop it further.
Some trained alone when circumstances called for it, but the presence of a professional trainer made a clear difference in the speed of their growth. By now, trainers had become quite important.
That had not always been the case.
Back when Yu-jun was called the Golden Youth, trainers had not been considered especially important.
After all, it had been common knowledge that if an Awakened lacked talent, no trainer could make a difference.
But an era had arrived in which an excellent trainer could bring an Awakened's potential to bloom even if that talent was lacking.
“Times have changed. Trainers are in the spotlight now!”
“Depending on the trainer, an Awakened can reach A-grade or even S-grade!”
Proper training could now transform everything, even for a low-grade Awakened.
“Dream Guild has just recruited Trainer Han Gyu-jin. What do you think?”
“An extraordinary trainer. Han Gyu-jin is recognized overseas, is that not so? A fine talent who can turn a low-grade Awakened into a high-grade one.”
“Dream Guild is ranked seventh at the moment, correct? Until now, it has paid enormous sums to recruit Awakened for its tower raids. But Awakened brought in with money will leave when someone offers them more.”
These days, the value of the Awakened had been converted into money.
That was why powerful Awakened with high grades did not stay long with a guild.
Regardless of grade or accomplishments, the salary they were offered right now determined their value.
In short, they often changed guilds for a large signing bonus.
“So they do not sign long-term contracts. Two years at most, or just one year at a time. Some go overseas, take a great deal of money, and even change their nationality.”
Many guilds wanted long-term contracts with prominent Awakened, but most of those Awakened refused.
So the guilds changed their approach.
They would develop Awakened from childhood.
That was why every guild had become intent on raising young trainees.
The trainees grew attached to the guilds that had raised them and developed loyalty to them.
What was more, Awakened developed through a guild's youth system signed long-term contracts, so the guild had little reason to fear losing them to another guild for a considerable time.
Even if another guild did take them, the first guild could collect a hefty transfer fee. It was a win for both sides.
But it was rare for a young trainee to make it big.
The reason was simple.
Good trainers were scarce.
“Han Gyu-jin joining Dream Guild could be the opportunity that lifts its ranking. Just who is Han Gyu-jin? The Awakened that trainer has raised have a combined market value in the hundreds of billions of won.”
In the end, trainers had become far too important to overlook.
Each guild gathered trainers with the aim of developing its young trainees.
Some employed three or four; others had as many as five.
“I have heard rumors that Trainer Han Gyu-jin's signing fee is 150 billion won!”
“Yes, so I hear. From what I have been able to confirm…….”
An outstanding trainer commanded a price as high as an Awakened.
No, lately there was even talk that a trainer's price had risen above that of most Awakened.
Recruiting a great trainer was as hard as plucking a star from the sky.
As a result, guilds of a certain size were desperate to recruit famous trainers from both home and abroad.
But there were only so many skilled trainers, and recruiting one was no easy task.
Under those circumstances, Dream Guild's recruitment of Han Gyu-jin was bound to make news across multiple media outlets.
“I cannot wait to see what training methods Han Gyu-jin has brought back from overseas!”
That was why Han Gyu-jin, a master trainer returning from overseas, could not help attracting attention.
And into that training market stepped a novice trainer with no professional experience.
He was Kang Yu-jun, a former prospect now dismissed as washed-up.
***
-I'll see what I can do about finding you an opening. You're going to work as a freelancer, right?
Yu-jun had asked Min-seok to find him an opening.
-You really surprised me. It was just like old times. You know, when one word from you could solve our problems.
Min-seok was deeply grateful to Yu-jun.
Thanks to him, he had managed to correct the problem with Ignition, if only a little.
-I'll do everything I can, so give me some time!
Yu-jun registered a business first.
To work as a freelancer, he needed a business registration certificate.
‘This ability definitely has potential.’
Every guild wanted trainers.
They were desperate to recruit an excellent trainer, whatever the cost.
But trainers of that caliber were few.
In other words, supply could not keep up with demand.
‘Demand is high, and supply is low.’
Truly skilled trainers, in particular, were exceptionally rare.
‘So I have a chance.’
In the past, being an Awakened trainer had not been a highly regarded profession.
That was why he had never thought deeply about his own talent.
Instead, he had tried desperately to awaken and live as an Awakened who conquered the tower.
But things were different now.
‘Now I can really put this talent of mine to use.’
RING-RING-RING—!
Yu-jun's phone rang in his studio apartment.
-It's me.
It was Min-seok calling.
“How did it go?”
-Sorry. They all turned me down.
Min-seok's voice was subdued.
Yu-jun had expected it would not be easy.
So he answered calmly.
“I figured as much.”
Right now, Yu-jun was a former youth trainee who had been expelled for failing to awaken.
Who would want to recruit someone like him?
‘I'll have to charge in headfirst myself.’
-But a manager I know said he'd meet with you.
“……!”
Agreeing to a meeting probably meant he was willing to give Yu-jun a chance.
-Go and see him, at least. Show him what you can do. And…… help me out again later, will you? It worked while you were there, but my knee's hurting again.
“All right. Let's meet again, then. Thanks, Min-seok.”
-If you're grateful, repay me properly! And now that you've started this, go as far as you want!
If it would help Yu-jun, Min-seok wanted to do whatever else he could.
They had been friends since childhood, and it was also true that Yu-jun's help had brought Min-seok to where he was today.
Yu-jun took a deep breath after ending the call.
An opportunity had come.
“It isn't a proper opportunity yet.”
He would simply have to turn it into one.
At present, Yu-jun could be considered a newcomer with an awkward work history.
Having no experience at all would have been better. His history was holding him back.
A youth trainee who had failed despite the Promise Guild's support.
That was how people saw Yu-jun.
“That was true until now.”
But things would change from here on.
“I'll seize it.”
Yu-jun intended to seize this chance and soar.
***
“We have met before, have we not, Mr. Kang? It has been a while.”
“Good day, Manager Han.”
Manager Han Seok-yul.
He had taught as an instructor in a special education program for young trainees.
That was how he knew Yu-jun.
“Min-seok told me you hope to become a trainer?”
Of course, they knew each other only in passing. They were not particularly close.
Han Seok-yul was on much friendlier terms with Kim Min-seok, who had once worked at Sky Guild, where Han was employed.
“Ah, yes.”
“Hmm. Min-seok recommended you very strongly.”
It was common knowledge among those in the industry that Yu-jun had been expelled from the Promise Guild.
Besides, taking on tower raids as an Awakened and working as an Awakened trainer were entirely different fields.
There was much Han could not make sense of, but because Min-seok had recommended Yu-jun, he had agreed to meet him for now.
“I can arrange a simple meeting easily enough. I can recruit someone whenever I wish. But you understand, do you not? You need ability. I do not mean an awakened ability. I mean that eye Min-seok told me about.”
Han Seok-yul glanced at the person who had come with him.
“If that eye of yours is real, our guild can certainly take you in.”
“Good day. I am Lee Seong-min.”
“This is Seong-min, one of our guild's youth trainees. He joined the program only recently.”
Yu-jun's eyes lit up as he looked at the Sky Guild trainee.
‘There are so many cracks.’
His gait, his breathing, even the circulation of his mana.
‘He must be an Awakened who just joined the youth program.’
Manager Han crossed his arms and spoke.
“Show me what you can do.”
They could not proceed until they had seen Yu-jun's skill.
They needed to judge what he could do first.
“Please use your ability once.”
At Yu-jun's request, Seong-min drew up his mana and thrust his fist forward.
‘That is the hand-to-hand technique taught at the academy.’
Yu-jun had practiced that technique until he was sick of it.
Perhaps for that very reason, he could see so many problems that he felt no need to use a skill.
‘I was always good at spotting other people's problems, but now that I've let go, I can see them even more clearly.’
The movements were precise, but there were far too many openings.
Yu-jun could now see clearly how to correct them and how Seong-min should improve.
‘Doing it myself was hard, but why is teaching it so easy?’
Knowing something in your head and actually doing it were different things.
Teaching it, though, was another matter.
It came remarkably easily to Yu-jun.
‘And now I have the Awakened Training System too.’
The Awakened Training System organized the information in Yu-jun's mind and applied it faithfully to the person receiving his training.
“Mr. Lee.”
“Yes.”
Seong-min looked rather annoyed.
Naturally.
He knew who Yu-jun was.
A perennial prospect who had failed to awaken and been expelled, only to turn up now claiming to be a trainer.
It looked ridiculous to him.
RIPPLE—.
The cracks shimmered whenever Seong-min moved.
Yu-jun watched them closely, then glanced at Seong-min's reaction.
‘Fair enough. He might not believe me.’
Yu-jun understood why Seong-min could not readily trust him.
If someone known as a failed prospect had suddenly appeared and offered to train Yu-jun, he would have cursed too.
How could someone who had failed himself teach anyone else?
It was only natural to think that way.
The answer, then, was simple.
‘I just have to show him.’
Being told to show his skill here probably meant demonstrating a trainer's most basic ability: identifying a problem and suggesting how to fix it.
‘They want me to find what is wrong and tell them how to improve it.’
Yu-jun could see it all clearly.
Every one of Seong-min's strengths and weaknesses.
“Please try it again.”
“……Yes.”
Seong-min answered curtly at Yu-jun's request.
Still, he had been told to do it, so what choice did he have?
Seong-min immediately performed the hand-to-hand technique again.
TAP.
Yu-jun walked up to Seong-min and adjusted his posture.
There was a crack at his shoulder.
His waist, however, glowed blue.
“Your shoulders are too rounded. Straighten them, and keep some spring in them. Plant your foot as a pivot and turn.”
It was obvious advice.
But Yu-jun's ability was added to those obvious words.
HISSS—!
-Power of Word Magic Correction unlocked!
“……Huh?”
Seong-min's body, which had been moving stiffly, suddenly turned with force.
WHOOSH—!
His previously feeble punch now carried real power.
Just a few words and one adjustment to his posture.
That was all it had taken.
Yu-jun saw the shoulder that had been cracked moments earlier glowing blue.
-Perfect training technique!
-Awakened Lee Seong-min trained!
-Combat Type (Melee) Awakened trained!
Including Kim Min-seok, he had now trained two Combat Type Awakened.
“…….”
Han Seok-yul's jaw dropped in astonishment at the result.
He had seen many trainers in the course of his work.
Some had been quite skilled, but even they could not achieve such a dramatic result with just a few words.
Yu-jun grinned and asked Manager Han,
“Would you like to see more?”
“You have passed! You have passed!”
Han Seok-yul rose from his seat and shouted.