“You’ve come from afar, haven’t you?”
“Haha, you’re certainly an interesting person.”
“What’s so interesting?”
“Normally, someone with the title ‘CIA’ would radiate an intimidating presence. And yet, you didn’t even flinch at the proposal from the U.S.A. I’m the one who’s surprised.”
“Well… I’m used to it.”
I had been courted by countless organizations in my past life.
“I’m Charles. I’ve come to persuade Mr. Kang.”
“Then, how much do you know about me?”
“How much?”
“Who I really am.”
Charles tilted his head at the seemingly random question.
Wow, but his nose is huge.
“Dr. Kang. The sole possessor of dungeon anomaly detection technology.”
“Hmm. That’s right.”
“Hmm…?”
So that’s all they know.
I was expecting something more like the Perfect Clear Awakened or my status as an S-rank Word Mage.
America always talks itself up as being exceptional, so I had some expectations.
“I heard you’re not fond of long preambles.”
He immediately displayed a contract on a tablet.
If they came looking for me as a doctor and not for the Perfect Clear Awakened or my Words of Power, then I couldn’t expect much from their offer.
“Holy sh—!”
“Haha. You’re an interesting person.”
As I read the figures, I thought, ‘As expected of America, they’re generous.’
But the currency wasn’t in Korean won—it was in U.S. dollars.
Even better, they had separate categories for naturalization bonuses, signing fees, annual salary, and performance incentives.
Still, great generosity often comes with great strings attached.
“I heard you love freedom. The United States. The land of liberty. You won’t be bound by any constraints.”
They weren’t kidding—there were virtually no restrictions.
At this level, it wasn’t much different from being a freelance mercenary.
“What if I just take the naturalization bonus and signing fee and run?”
“The United States. A union bound by trust. We trust Mr. Kang.”
Is this what they mean by American boldness?
Even though I tried to push back, my resolve wavered slightly.
He even looked so earnest, like a diligent young farmer.
‘Was this what CIA agents were supposed to look like?’
The CIA I’d imagined?
Cold expressions, sunglasses, earpieces, buzz cuts.
And they’d speak fluent Korean like a native.
Shouldn’t someone like that have come?
And what kind of name is Charles, anyway?
“You’ve come from afar. I heard there’s a custom of offering tea to guests. Shall we talk over a cup of tea?”
“Oh, um… I’d love to, but I’m a bit busy—”
Sigh. I wish he’d just barged in rudely like the top 10 guilds did earlier.
How do I send him back?
As I pondered this dilemma, a chilling presence washed over me.
“…!”
The aura of a powerful being descended upon us.
A shiver ran down my spine, forcing my body to tense.
‘It’s not Charles.’
[Heartbeat of Prey]
[A ring that detects murderous intent, not mere hostility. When detected, it tightens on your finger and points toward the source of the intent.]
Even the Heartbeat of Prey wasn’t pointing at Charles but at someone behind him.
It was coming.
“What’s wrong? Your expression hardened. Did I say something wrong? If I did, I’m sorry—just let me know, and I’ll fix—”
Before he could finish, Charles’ face also froze.
He spun around to look behind him.
‘He can feel it?’
Impressive. I’d already noticed he was an Awakened, but still.
As I watched Charles with newfound appreciation, he gave me a sidelong glance, clearly bewildered.
“How did you sense it before me… No, never mind. Get inside the building. I’ll protect you.”
I ignored him.
Protect me? From someone that powerful?
How exactly?
‘Wow, this is truly impressive.’
So this was the fabled S-rank.
Could someone really become this strong through the system?
Soon, an expensive-looking car pulled up in front of the building.
The man stepped out.
Step, Step.
With his hands in his bulging suit pockets, radiating blatant murderous intent, he walked toward us.
“Charles, you’re with the CIA. Do you know who that guy is?”
“…Park Cheol-woong. S-rank. Guild Master of Palan.”
So, the murderous intent wasn’t entirely random.
‘Alright, how do I deal with this guy?’
For the first time in ages, I was facing a truly challenging battle.
A situation worthy of being called a crisis.
My blood boiled in anticipation.
Soon, Park Cheol-woong stood before me.
And he greeted me in a rough voice.
“Nice to meet you.”
“Not really.”
“You’re Dr. Kang Hyun, right?”
“What’s your business?”
“I came to recruit the renowned Dr. Kang. But…”
He laughs incredulously.
“I couldn’t believe it when I heard how you handled that clown’s antics… Hah, it’s still hard to wrap my head around.”
With hands as big as pot lids, he brushes back his hair.
“What kind of mess did that guy get himself into to involve someone like you? Should I commend him, or scold him?”
“Are we going to fight or not?”
“I came to fight. But…”
Park Cheol-woong’s eyes glisten with greed.
“My mind’s changed.”
From behind, the sound of a phone dropping echoed.
It was Yoo Chae-young, who had come down after hearing the commotion.
“My… goodness. Why… are you here…?”
Overwhelmed by his overt murderous intent, Yoo Chae-young stammered, her words barely coherent.
“If you’ve changed your mind, then rein it in.”
“Sure.”
The murderous aura subsided.
“But who’s this foreigner?”
“Charles. Let’s postpone the tea for later.”
Charles gulped.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, he seemed to understand there was nothing he could contribute.
“…If you need help, please contact me.”
“Yeah. Leave quickly. You’ll get hurt.”
Instead of leaving the premises, Charles supported the trembling Yoo Chae-young and escorted her into the building.
He’s a decent guy, really.
“Looking up at you is giving me neck pain. Mind sitting down?”
“You’re an amusing one.”
“I hear that a lot.”
Park Cheol-woong finally tilted his stiff neck downward.
His shadow loomed over me, cast by his towering stature.
Even with that slight movement, his gray suit groaned, threatening to burst at the seams.
“Don’t worry. That wretch won’t dare touch your family again.”
“And you think I’ll just take your word for it?”
“The purpose of the abduction was to lure you out and eliminate you, but that’s no longer necessary.”
“You don’t sound very convincing for someone who came to kill me.”
“There’s no point in killing you anymore.”
He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper.
“I heard an amusing story about an E-rank Blessing.”
“This is getting a bit long-winded.”
Park Cheol-woong smirked, his eyes glinting dangerously.
“My guild—no, my younger brother—is in a tight spot. I’ve only got two options.”
“Your options? Do I really need to know them?”
“Either recruit you to my side, or…”
The ring on my finger tightened again.
“Kill you and the Perfect Clear Awakened.”
It’s rare for someone to grasp the situation so quickly.
“Kill me? Why go that far? You could just cut ties with the problem child.”
“Everyone has their weak spots.”
“Fair enough.”
I couldn’t deny it—after all, my own weak points were why I was tangled in this mess.
“But demons? That’s going too far, isn’t it?”
“Is that your sense of justice talking? I’d rather you didn’t add to the headache. Dealing with one bothersome ghost is more than enough.”
“Don’t worry.”
The one causing trouble would remain the same from now on.
“Kang Hyun, I’m not your enemy. At least, that’s how I see it.”
“You don’t seem to know how to show it.”
“I’m leaving. Think it over carefully.”
With that, he turned and got back into his car.
After Park Cheol-woong left, I stretched my stiff neck, cracking it audibly.
My phone buzzed incessantly.
I ignored the call from Chief Choi and sent him a text saying I’d come later.
It seemed like dealing with the dungeon anomalies would have to wait.
I needed to get stronger—and fast.
###
After reinforcing the wards, I retreated to my private room.
[Elixir of Heavenly Moss]
[Moss grown by absorbing the spiritual energy of the Divine Spring. Extracted into liquid form. If consumed, raises mana by 1 if below B-. Requires the assistance of three mages above B-rank for safe use.]
I uncorked the bottle and drank its contents.
‘Ugh, bitter.’
That’s the taste of health.
It was about five times more bitter than the Dried Sacred Water Elixir.
Crossing my legs, I sat down in meditation and observed my magic power.
The magic granted to Awakened by the system—its storage method was surprisingly simple.
It simply accumulates in the Dantian, located below the navel.
Normally, storing mana is a painstaking process.
Receiving it, condensing it, controlling it, and drawing it out—all of these steps require effort.
And talent, too.
But the system neatly automates the accumulation process.
‘Convenient, sure.’
It’s efficient and easy, but it’s not fundamentally a good method.
I was going to move it to my heart, just like in my past life.
‘Who would’ve thought I’d use what my friend taught me again?’
Truth be told, this method was borrowed from dragons.
The heart they crafted in this way became known as the Dragon Heart, heralded as the pinnacle of mystical elixirs.
The mana refinement method unique to dragons—
Among all other races, only Kyle, my former self, managed to replicate it.
And not without reason—it’s unimaginably difficult.
The heart never stops beating.
Even during everyday life, you have to hold the mana in place with every beat.
When drawing it out, it must be released in rhythm with the pulse.
If mana reflux occurs, the heart could sustain damage, and death isn’t out of the question.
No one even considered such a method.
Who would store a volatile force like mana in their heart?
The Dantian is considered the safest storage place for a reason.
‘Ah, this takes me back.’
When I revealed this refinement method to my companions, they called me a madman.
What could I say? I’d already applied it.
When I told them that, they practically had fits.
The memory made me chuckle.
‘I almost died the first time, even with Aetherna by my side.’
But now, I wasn’t worried at all.
Back then, I was young and inexperienced.
It’s amusing to think about now.
Regardless, I need this technique.
Its effectiveness in battle is unparalleled.
More importantly, dragons accumulate mana just by breathing.
For them, the heart’s activity becomes the cycle of mana itself.
‘Ssup. Hoo-‘
Here it comes.
My heart started pounding fiercely.
Thump.
The system-condensed mana in my Dantian—
I forcibly unraveled it.
Then, with meticulous control, I guided it.
Through the veins, reversing the flow of the arteries, and finally, to my heart.
Thump.
My heart beat again.
###
Thump. Thump.
“…”
Ding!
[Perfect Elixir Consumption Ritual! The absorption rate of the elixir has increased.]
[‘Mana’ has increased. (E+ → D)]
Ding!
[The trait <Dragon Heart> has been created.]
Thump.
