Chapter 238 : Center of Attention (3)
Center of Attention (3)
Now, I finally understood what Jin Su-hyuk was thinking when he set all this in motion.
Awakeners and non-awakeners.
The era's conflict brought about by the emergence of magic power.
And he wanted to prevent the ensuing great war.
'But, can that really be called prevention?'
Seventy percent of humanity—by no means a small number, even as an exaggeration.
The remaining people would be only the strong, but would that number be enough to oppose the demons?
No matter how many S-ranks there are these days?
'It would be impossible.'
With only thirty percent of humanity, they cannot stop the demons.
But Jin Su-hyuk believed it was possible.
And I didn't believe he would think so without reason.
'Perhaps, the power he acquired is the reason.'
I felt almost nothing from Jin Su-hyuk.
He was just like an ordinary person.
Only when I focused intently could I barely sense the faintest whiff of demonic energy.
'His perfection has improved even more.'
Back when he had the press conference, his demonic energy and magic power were more clearly felt.
But now, Jin Su-hyuk was truly indistinguishable from a normal person.
Just like me.
"So, what do you think, Park Jung-woo?"
"What?"
"I'd like you to answer my question."
Can the conflict in this world be stopped without the power of demons—is that what he asked?
Certainly, unless you borrow the power of such beings, it is impossible to stop the flow of the current era.
The odds were high that things would unfold just as he said.
Clearly, as long as awakeners didn't have much weight in this world, they would try to do something.
Of course, the awakened would resist, and the situation would spiral into catastrophe.
With humanity divided into awakened and non-awakened, such a future is inevitable.
"If—"
I looked at him, choosing my words.
"If, instead of the power of demons, there was another way to awaken humanity."
He claimed a sense of righteous cause.
But I thought a little differently.
The potential of humanity, and the singularity approaching the world.
Is Jin Su-hyuk's only purpose really to protect that?
Really?
"Would you choose that path?"
"... I didn't expect you to answer a question with a question."
Jin Su-hyuk smirked and leaned back in his chair.
"There's no such way. You know that, too—"
"There is. At least one."
I also was not ignorant of the era's conflict Jin Su-hyuk mentioned.
The demons' advent and Jin Su-hyuk's actions did advance that timetable, but it was bound to happen eventually.
In a way, it happened at just the right time because of them.
"The foundation of the power now within your body."
Though Jin Su-hyuk went through a procedure similar to mine, there was a difference.
The divine art created by Benadic was added to his.
"Estella's power."
"You've heard of that? The 'Saintess of Wishes', right?"
He gazed steadily at me.
He must now have had a rough idea of what I was getting at.
"So, are you saying Shin Ah-yeon has a way?"
"It's not certain yet. But... with time, it could be possible."
It was not just a vague hope, but had some certainty behind it.
But for it to happen, a situation where everyone's attention and prayer could focus on her needed to be created.
"If Shin Ah-yeon can do it, would you stop joining hands with the demons?"
"..."
He didn't answer for a moment.
It was as if he were deep in thought, but I thought differently.
"Of course not."
He cloaked it all in a righteous cause, but it was just an excuse to hide his real reason.
"Certainly, the era's conflict will continue, and perhaps there's no way to stop it other than with the power of demons. Most people would probably agree with that."
If it's said that non-awakened can be made into awakened using demon power, there will be many who consider it right, no matter the cost.
Most of those now under Jin Su-hyuk may well have fallen for that argument.
"However, even if there was another way, you wouldn't choose it."
What Jin Su-hyuk truly desired was not to prevent the conflict that might bring the world to ruin.
"You'd only have a chance to stand atop it by destroying this society first."
Moreover, he mentioned the singularity and evolution of the world.
If all this were set in motion, he would stand at the center of history.
It was his chance to become the one who changed an age.
"There was something you once said to everyone."
When you raised Grand Nova to be the very best in the industry, every broadcaster fought to interview you.
For a mere manager to create a management so big it rivaled the world's renowned guilds—it was only natural.
Back then, Jin Su-hyuk said:
'My dream doesn't end here. I'll work so that this era's name can be called Jin Su-hyuk.'
It just sounded like a cool ambition.
There were countless people who joined Grand Nova inspired by those words.
I was one of them.
As someone who once admired him, I could say for sure.
"You would never let this opportunity slip through your hands, no matter what."
To be at the center of the age, to seize the singularity—he'd never let it go.
That was the man Jin Su-hyuk was.
"You asked me something earlier."
Can you stop the era's conflict?
"At the very least, I can stop it."
That didn't mean I would just ignore the trouble at hand.
I would definitely stop that, too.
If I had my Unique family with me, surely.
"So fuck off, bastard."
That was the last thing I said to him.
***
"He's gone, huh?"
Kang Min-gi spoke, recalling the stormy departure of Park Jung-woo.
"Well, the conversation's done."
"You wrapped it up nicely, but did he strike a nerve?"
"Phew."
Jin Su-hyuk chuckled at Kang Min-gi's jibe.
Park Jung-woo was right.
He didn't really care about the era's conflicts.
Singularities and the value of evolution—those were secondary.
Jin Su-hyuk's objective was always to open a new age.
And to stand at its very peak—that was his goal.
"In a complete, modern society, it's impossible for an individual to stand at the very top."
"Well, that's true."
"If the chance does come, it'll be only when despair great enough to destroy that society arrives."
A focal point for humanity.
As a leader and savior of the world.
Park Jung-woo probably wanted to deny the dreadful events that would arise through that process.
Estella's power.
It certainly was amazing. With her authority, perhaps the era's conflict could be resolved without bloodshed.
But that wasn't what Jin Su-hyuk wanted.
Blood had to be spilled.
Only after much blood was shed would a path open.
Jin Su-hyuk had no intention of denying that.
"What's wrong with chasing the top?"
It's something every human dreams of.
Countless people had reached out for that spot, staking everything.
But not one had ever seized it.
"To become the starting point of a new history."
To deny everything humanity had built, and begin anew from a blank slate.
That future now felt within reach.
***
Now, I was sure of Jin Su-hyuk's intent.
And from this meeting, I could estimate roughly how much power he wielded.
'At the very least, there's a high chance he's at my current level.'
No, he might have greater sheer power than I do.
He just lacked the skill or technique to wield it fully.
But that, too, would be solved with time.
'There's not long now until the demonic zone raid broadcast.'
The exact date for the broadcast hadn't been set yet.
It wasn't that scheduling or S-rank hunters had issues.
Before we challenged the demonic zone, the S-rank hunters first had to check each other's power and truly work together once.
Until that was sorted out, it was better to delay.
"So, why did you call for me?"
At the moment, most of the tasks had been entrusted to Ardan.
Having witnessed the strength possessed by Jin Su-hyuk and Kang Min-gi, I felt the need to step forward.
"Because, hunter Baek Hojun, I'll need your help."
"My help?"
Baek Hojun looked around, as if he simply couldn't understand.
We were at Mount Seorak, where the previous Super Hunter K mission had taken place.
After the landslide caused by Ji Yeon-hwa, the place had been off-limits.
"What about me, manager?"
"Of course, with your help as well, Soo-ah-ssi."
For the record, I was not only here with Baek Hojun, but with Soo-ah as well.
Why these two, you ask? Because they were the current highest masters of the sword.
In short, among the few who could face me in a frontal battle.
And both were geniuses with yet more room to grow.
"Haaa, will I really be of any help? Honestly...what I saw in America still haunts me."
From fighting Owen to closing the rift.
Baek Hojun seemed to recall the sight and shook his head.
"Well, in that case, I used not just my own power but the Demon King's as well."
"... The Demon King, huh."
"You know, don't you? That my heart is the one that belonged to the king of demons."
"Of course."
Among the S-rank hunters who fought at the Grand Canyon, I had told some that I had the Demon King's heart. Baek Hojun was one.
"But I still can't completely handle that power. Honestly, I've barely opened the gate."
"... Is that so?"
Baek Hojun looked incredulous, while Soo-ah simply nodded as if she understood my intention.
She must have guessed why I called them here.
"So, you want to open that gate a bit more, then."
"Yes, I just wanted to prevent a problem due to lack of strength."
I had surely mastered skills and possessed great power.
But of course, my technique is a bit different from Baek Hojun's or Soo-ah's.
It isn't that my skill is inferior; rather, it's that I haven't yet overcome the wall they have.
It's also why I don't have a 'Conceptualization Technique'.
"To open the gate more—and create a Conceptualization Technique, is that it."
And not just mine, but one fused with the Demon King's power.
That was the only way I could properly handle the Demon King's power, and make it my own.
'Just like Ah-yeon.'
Right now, Ah-yeon was barricaded in her room, studying magic.
And that magic was related to the authority of Estella she'd used before.
Just as the magic had melded with the authority she cast over all of Gangnam.
She was striving to make it truly her own.
To complete her new, yet imperfect, conceptualization Technique.
"Haaa, I understand the reason, but I still don't know if I'll be of any help."
He let out a deep sigh, to which I smirked.
"Aren't you underplaying yourself a bit too much?"
"Pardon?"
"I know, hunter Baek Hojun. You've broken through the wall again."
As I'd mentioned before, Conceptualization Techniques sometimes change when a wall is overcome.
I had felt that from Baek Hojun recently.
Of all the swordmasters I'd ever met, he stood at the highest level.
"I just wanted to really witness it for myself."
That's why I called Soo-ah here, too.
To see and learn from the ultimate swordsman's skill.
To break the wall together.
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
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