WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Dionysus

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◈ Xianxia Cultivation with a Dragon Heart ◈

Chapter 17: Getting a Basic Certification

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After some time had passed,

the test for superpower possession, including the blood test, ended quickly. A machine resembling an MRI scanner could immediately check a test subject's Mana activity level.

Sometimes, even after awakening, a person's Mana activity level was too low. In those cases, taking a few special drugs supposedly allowed for an accurate test in most instances. It was not particularly relevant to Han Yujin.

Still.

Once every test was over, Han had to wait strangely long. People tested later than him entered rooms resembling consultation rooms before he did, leaving him with only one possible thought.

'My results must not be ordinary.'

Han had roughly expected it from the moment he learned how the testing worked.

Checking Mana activity levels meant checking how much Mana had affected the body.

And in the primeval forest, where spiritual energy was nearly ten times more abundant than here, Han had diligently trained both body and soul through an exceptional method called the Returning to the Origin Art.

The Mana scanner probably could not determine the condition of a soul partly sublimated into a Dharma Soul. Still, body and soul were not separate things. It was easy enough to guess how far Han's body had surpassed those of people who had only just awakened.

'Wouldn't there be at least a tenfold difference?'

A short while later,

“Mr. Han Yujin?”

The employee from the counter, who had disappeared inside for a moment, approached Han directly.

“Yes?”

“You've waited a long time, haven't you? Please come this way.”

The noticeably friendlier attitude was clearly not Han's imagination. Following the employee inside and entering a consultation room, Han saw three people: two men who looked to be in their mid to late forties, and one who appeared to be in his mid to late thirties.

“Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too.”

They greeted Han first, so he returned the greeting and took a seat as directed.

As the employee left, Han casually examined the ID badge hanging around the neck of the youngest-looking man.

'Administrative Officer Oh Taemin of the Special Ability Management Bureau.'

He belonged to the government agency commonly called the Hunter Management Bureau.

'What rank of civil servant is an administrative officer?'

As Han wondered, the man in his forties seated in the middle operated a computer and brought up the test results on the monitor. The screen had been positioned so that everyone, including Han across the desk, could see it easily.

“First, congratulations on your awakening.”

“Thank you.”

“Shall we start with the blood test results?”

The man in the doctor's coat then gave a general explanation. Liver values, cholesterol, kidney function, blood sugar, thyroid hormone levels, and every other piece of physical information available through a blood test were healthy.

“That covers the blood test results... As you can see here, this is your Mana activity level.”

The number highlighted by the mouse pointer was 2,477. The average listed beside it was only 80.

“Mr. Han Yujin's Mana activity level is over thirty times the average. This is truly... Even active veteran Hunters rarely score this high. You really awakened only a few days ago?”

“Yes.”

“You haven't been ill or experienced any unusual symptoms?”

“No.”

The doctor seemed to be wondering whether this might be some new superpower-related illness. It was a natural concern for a doctor, and something that needed confirmation, so Han simply answered with a small smile.

“Then let's look at the questionnaire you filled out outside.”

The doctor brought up another screen. It was the aptitude questionnaire Han had completed earlier.

Then the other man in his forties, who had remained silent until then, stepped in and asked, “You wrote that your awakened superpower is Mana-related knowledge. Does that mean you gained knowledge of how to handle Mana?”

“Yes. As for how... Would it be all right if I showed you briefly?”

“Please keep it as safe as possible.”

Han nodded to show understanding, raised one hand, and released spiritual energy.

Adding a simple dharma pattern, Han formed a small shape of light. It suddenly split into nine orbs, which began slowly rotating in a circle.

“No...”

The startled sound came from the man from the Special Ability Management Bureau. Han had actually been keeping an eye on him, having faintly sensed spiritual energy from him.

Using Spirit Vision Art would have immediately revealed whether he was an Awakened, but Han had deliberately held back. Seeing that reaction, there seemed to be no need to use it.

If the man had not handled Mana as an Awakened, he would not have been so surprised.

“Did you just use a glyph?”

Glyph was Earth's term for a dharma pattern. It was much like the runes commonly found in fantasy novels.

As an aside, the term rune had not been adopted as an international standard like Mana because actual rune characters from ancient Northern Europe still existed as intangible cultural heritage in those countries.

That made it different from Mana, a completely abstract concept.

“Yes.”

“You haven't learned this separately? You don't have any connections in the field or anything...?”

“No, nothing like that.”

Han was very satisfied by the man's astonished response and barely held back a broad smile.

“Can you show us something else?”

“Here?”

“Ah.”

Seeming to regain his senses, the man gave a look to the middle-aged man beside the doctor. It was clearly the sort of gesture only a superior could make, telling someone to continue with his work.

The middle-aged man naturally returned to the questionnaire and continued the conversation.

His job was to first confirm the questionnaire's contents, explain what people newly confirmed as Awakened needed to do next, and introduce the various welfare benefits available to them.

Naturally, awakening a superpower did not mean someone could immediately become a Hunter. In fact, they would not even receive the most basic certificate needed to use a superpower.

This place merely tested whether someone had truly awakened. Han now needed to have the use and control of his superpower verified elsewhere in the center.

Only then could the certificate commonly called a Basic Certification, the Superpower Possession and Suitability Certificate, be issued. With that, an Awakened could acquire certifications in other fields or receive preliminary Hunter training.

As soon as the middle-aged man finished explaining, the man from the Special Ability Management Bureau spoke up.

“Shall we go get your Basic Certification right away? I'll help you.”

“I'd appreciate that.”

Han did not know exactly what rank an administrative officer held, but it was obvious that Oh Taemin was no low-level employee. Having him personally offer help was excellent. Anyone could recognize it as special treatment.

After saying goodbye to the doctor and the middle-aged man beside him, Han followed Oh Taemin down to the first basement level.

“Awakening to specific knowledge is not an exceptionally rare case, but I've never seen anyone handle glyphs as skillfully as you do, Mr. Han. Could that be related to your high Mana activity level? Have you used some special circulation method?”

Oh Taemin had immediately hit the heart of the matter. Han did not bother denying it and readily agreed.

“Yes. I also gained a kind of training method for strengthening body and mind.”

“Huh... But even so, you've only been awakened for a few days... What other applications can you use?”

Once again, Han hid nothing and explained everything that could be done through the basic spells.

'There's no reason to pretend to be weak while hiding my strength.'

The protagonists commonly portrayed in media hid their strength and acted weak in order to protect themselves from unknown threats that might exist.

It followed the saying that the nail that sticks out gets hammered down. And if enemies truly existed, it could also make them misjudge one's strength.

'I have no intention of doing that.'

It was not merely that pretending to be weak did not suit Han's personality. There were clear reasons.

First, Han saw no need to do so. Second, to gain Karma, Han had no choice but to act proactively anyway.

Thus,

after hearing all of Han's abilities, the administrative officer from the Special Ability Management Bureau even stopped walking for a moment and stared.

“...Telekinesis, barriers, flame spells, mobility, observation, concealment, and healing. Is that right?”

“Yes.”

“And you can use all of that in the form of knowledge? In other words, not as awakened abilities, but by learning them?”

“Of course.”

“Could other people learn them too?”

“If they can feel Mana, probably.”

Otherwise, how would Han gain Karma? Not many people would be able to learn and use it in a short time, but in the long term, there could be no better source of Karma.

Knowledge should not simply be hoarded.

The more widely it was shared, the more people benefited from it, and the more influence Han had on them, the more Karma would return in proportion.

Of course, Han would need to manage things carefully to avoid being stabbed in the back.

“You should be a scholar or educator instead of a Hunter.”

Han merely laughed off the comment, uncertain whether it was a joke or not.

There was no need to personally lead the spread of knowledge. As long as Han was its source, the results would not differ much. Handling Rifts was different.

The place they reached after following Oh Taemin again was deep within the first basement level. Judging by the atmosphere, it was not somewhere just anyone could enter.

“Here we are.”

Stopping before a superpower training room, Oh Taemin naturally entered the password and unlocked the door. Han followed inside and was somewhat impressed by the sight.

It was hard to believe that such a broad underground space had been dug out without pillars. Beyond its structure, the materials making up the floor, walls, and ceiling were clearly not ordinary either.

Oh Taemin went to a computer terminal on one side, turned it on, and began typing diligently. Occasionally, he asked for things such as Han's resident registration number.

'This doesn't seem to follow any official procedure at all.'

That was the impression, but it was not unpleasant. Han knew that everything, including this room, was special treatment.

“All right, then...”

As Oh Taemin made a few more adjustments, a metal cylinder on one side of the training room smoothly slid over by itself and stopped in the center. Its movement was strange enough that it was impossible to tell what had moved it or how.

It was only natural for Han, who had been an ordinary person until recently, to find a place and equipment unknown to ordinary people fascinating.

“Let's test that flame spell first. You're curious too, Mr. Han, aren't you? About how strong your attacks are.”

“Yes, I suppose I am.”

Han already knew well enough and was not particularly curious, but went along with it. If someone had awakened normally, they would not have had a proper chance to test themselves, just as Oh Taemin said.

Han looked at the metal cylinder standing motionless in the center of the training room and considered things for a moment. Interpreting that hesitation somehow, Oh Taemin kindly spoke.

“If it's too far away, you can attack from closer up. And if anything concerns you, please tell me immediately.”

“Um, how durable is that?”

“Ah.”

Oh Taemin smiled as though amused.

“It's Grade 3 Mana alloy, so most attacks won't even scratch it. It also has a composite armor structure. You can attack without worry.”

“But what if it breaks, just in case?”

“That's what taxes are for.”

Reassured by the confident answer, Han looked back at the metal cylinder.

Spirit Vision Art had already activated, revealing the density of spiritual energy within the cylinder and allowing Han to roughly discern its composite structure.

'It looks like it'll break. Surely he won't change his tune afterward.'

Even if it did, Han would be able to pay for it easily after beginning Hunter work in earnest. It would just create one unpleasant connection.

With that thought, Han raised his right hand and cast Flame Projectile Art at an entirely ordinary level.

The moment the blazing sphere of fire shot forward like an arrow and struck the metal cylinder directly,

KABOOOM!!

A thunderous blast echoed through the sealed training room, followed by a hot gust of wind. Oh Taemin, startled, could not take his eyes from the center of impact.

The object that supposedly would not be scratched by ordinary damage had heated bright red, as though it had come out of a furnace, and more than half of it had melted and broken apart.

Even the thick tiles beneath where the cylinder had stood had shattered and been torn up. If Han had not deliberately adjusted the spell, it might have punched a large hole through the floor.

'There doesn't seem to be a second basement level.'

There might have been an unmarked machine room or something similar, so Han had been careful.

For more than ten seconds, Oh Taemin said nothing. He only looked back and forth between Han and the metal cylinder several times, as though unable to believe it.

“This is... at least A-Rank power...?”

Hearing the mutter, Han calmly thought,

Xianxia-style cultivation methods really did have an insane power balance.

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