TRGS 19

Chapter 19
“Just as I remember.”

Yujin entered the interview room.

On the desk lay some documents, and behind them was a woman gazing at him with an expression devoid of expectation—Baek Ah-rin.

Baek Ah-rin’s face was exactly as he remembered.

“And the chill… it’s the same as before.”

Yujin sat in front of her. The cold swept across his skin, sharp and biting.

It was as if she were silently saying, “Disappear already.”

Yet Yujin let a faint smile form inside.

“This should be fixable.”

Perhaps because it was still the early stages, her chill was weaker than expected.

It was probably because she had only recently reawakened.

The Heart of Frost grows stronger with time, eventually evolving into the Heart of Extreme Cold.

When that happens—

“She could either become a hunter who rules her era… or the worst kind of criminal.”

Unfortunately, Baek Ah-rin was destined for the latter.

All her power comes from the Heart of Frost. Its very essence is tied to her, meaning it could eventually consume her being entirely.

For now, one body was enough. But eventually, she would desire to lead a legion—a skill designed to create the [Lord of Extreme Cold].

“The solution is simple.”

Yujin didn’t avert his gaze from Baek Ah-rin’s eyes; he stared at her steadily.

“She just needs to become a vessel capable of accepting the [Lord of Extreme Cold].”

The reason the Heart of Frost evolves into the Heart of Extreme Cold and forcibly creates a “lord” by dominating others is simple: the vessel alone is insufficient, so it forcibly draws power from everything else.

In other words, as long as Baek Ah-rin’s own strength is sufficient, there’s no problem at all.

“…What are you staring at?”
“Nothing.”

Yujin nodded slightly.

“Just… curious.”
“Curious?”
“The chill radiating from your entire body—it’s quite extreme.”

Baek Ah-rin’s eyes widened slightly. Yujin seized the moment to continue.

“Since I’m also a reawakened, I’m somewhat sensitive to magical power. I even have a chill magic skill, so I can see it clearly.”
“…Reawakened?”
“Yes. Didn’t you already know?”
“I didn’t have access to that kind of information.”

Baek Ah-rin answered casually. It seemed like confidence, but Yujin could tell:

‘She isn’t at ease enough to hide minor information.’

Indeed, her chill was not yet particularly strong.

Although some frost appeared outwardly, eventually, her presence alone would change the seasons and terrain with every breath and step. For now, it was much more manageable, but in a year, it would be far worse.

“If you’re a reawakened, that sounds simple. What did you pay for it?”

Baek Ah-rin glanced briefly at the room’s CCTV.

Crack!

The camera froze—its mechanics intact, but the microphone and lens temporarily iced over.

A demonstration of the exceptional control an S-rank hunter could wield.

Baek Ah-rin moved a pile of papers aside, crossed her legs, and folded her arms.

“Reawakening… not much is publicly known. You just gain a ‘fateful chance’ to obtain new power. But if you’re a reawakened—”
“I know. No fateful chance comes without a price. You have to pay for the new power you gain.”
“You understand well.”

This was knowledge only a reawakened could possess—a realization gained by experiencing new abilities firsthand.

Baek Ah-rin nodded. She had no intention of revealing her weaknesses first.

‘She’ll probably just take any useful information and leave if my ability seems useless.’

‘No harm in that.’

Yujin wasn’t a reawakened, so he hadn’t fully disclosed his own information anyway. He also had no intention of pressuring her for it.

The key was that now he could say something that might appeal to Baek Ah-rin.

‘I can’t fabricate everything—need to stay within limits.’

Yujin had already paid a price with one death. Thanks to the fateful chance of regression, he survived.

In that case—

“For me, it was lifespan.”

Yujin said calmly.

“My abilities and body can keep growing. But in exchange, my lifespan is fixed.”
“…Lifespan?”
“Yes. Probably about ten years left.”
“…A lifespan as the price for growth and evolution of power. Why would you make such a choice?”
“Some things just are that way.”

Yujin offered a bitter smile instead of an answer. Sometimes expression spoke louder than words.

“…How far can your growth go?”
“I don’t know the limit. It’s not something that can be known. But—”

Yujin picked up a pen rolling on the desk.

“My enhancement became very special.”

[Skill ‘Soul Enhancement’ activated.]

Woosh!

A brief light burst from the pen.

[Level 1 Pen]
Writing Smoothness +30%

“!”
“The first is speed. My enhancement is fast. I moderated it for the test, though.”
“…30%? That’s… absurd.”

Baek Ah-rin marveled, though the information was still insufficient.

The important part came next.

“And my enhancement isn’t limited to a specific target.”
“!!”

Baek Ah-rin’s eyes widened like never before.

The usual limitation of most enhancement skills: they require a target.

Without that limitation—

“Skill, body, anything… I can enhance it.”
“…!”

Thud.

Yujin placed the pen on the desk with a slight smile.

“I don’t know what problem you’re facing, but…”

Baek Ah-rin’s gaze fixed on Yujin’s hand.

“I might be able to solve your problem.”
“….”
“What do you say?”

Yujin extended his hand, subtly pushing back her chill with magical power.

“I’ll help you—so Baek Ah-rin, help me in return.”

Baek Ah-rin could become Yujin’s second ally.

She was a hunter who wanted to grow stronger than anyone. She would never give up absolute power, so she couldn’t refuse this offer.

After staring at his hand briefly—

Thud.

“Huh.”

Yujin exhaled, loosening the collar of his clothes.

Even with magical resistance, enduring her chill required significant physical and mental effort.

‘No wonder they call her Seolgwi.’

Just standing still, he nearly risked freezing his internal organs.

‘I definitely need to get stronger.’

If Baek Ah-rin had shown hostility?

A brief resistance, and he would have ended up frozen solid.

But he survived, gained a fair reward, and came out ahead.

Then—

“You’re finally out.”
“…Seo Hye-won?”

He met eyes with a woman leaning against the wall. A familiar face.

It was the person he had met yesterday, Seo Hye-won.

Yujin smiled and approached her.

“Hello. Did you get home safely yesterday?”
“Yes, thanks to you.”

Apparently, Yujin’s words yesterday had taken effect.

“…I had no idea you were a reawakened.”
“Well, I only went from E-rank to D-rank.”
“Still, a reawakened is a reawakened. One chance might be coincidence, but the next is inevitable, right? Since one came by chance, the next can be seized too.”
“Are you overestimating me?”
“Ha ha.”

Hye-won smiled, uncrossed her arms, and straightened up from the wall.

“By the way… how did you get here?”
“I don’t have a bad relationship with the Association.”

As they walked back to the waiting room, Hye-won spoke calmly.

“Besides, it’s not unusual for a B-rank hunter to participate as an advisor. A-rank hunters usually don’t attend such matters.”

…That makes sense.

Compared to private guilds, the Association wasn’t very strong. Its only advantages were legal authority and the stability of government employment.

If higher-ups were all hunters or involved, maybe. But even after this era, the top leadership didn’t change.

The reason: S-rank hunters with overwhelming power didn’t want it.

If they were incompetent, they could shine and enjoy all benefits.

“Of course, since I volunteered to participate last night, the process was a bit complicated.”
“So… do you feel you got what you wanted?”

Yujin deliberately demonstrated the potential of his abilities. Hye-won was intrigued.

“…I can’t be certain, but judging from your expression when you came out and the person conducting the interview… your ability was appealing.”
“….”
“You know Seolgwi has a problem, right?”
“Yes.”
“Can you fix it?”

Yujin didn’t answer immediately. He recalled the conversation in the interview room.

‘…I can’t show everything now. I have many problems still binding me. But…’

Baek Ah-rin had pulled out a business card and handed it over.

‘If your abilities are proven and can solve my problem, I’ll support anything. So show me.’

Her cold voice carried undeniable heat.

‘Show your true abilities.’

“Yes.”

He returned the same answer he had given back then.

“I can fix it.”

Proof and enhancement.

‘Easy.’

Neither were particularly difficult.

Proof?

He had spent his life proving himself, especially before regression.

‘Back then, I was just a disposable pawn.’

Compared to risking his life before, now things were much better.

Most importantly, Yujin had no fear.

He had no confidence in failure.

“The next test is the aptitude test, right?”

Yujin spoke confidently.

“I’ll show you my abilities then.”

After meeting Hye-won, Yujin returned to the waiting room.

[Third Test begins. Numbers 126, 143, 178, please follow the examiner’s instructions.]

“All those called, please follow me.”

Yujin and two other hunters moved to the test site.

[Third Test Site]

Inside, there were capsules and goggles for participants.

Gulp!

Hunters 126 and 143 visibly tensed.

A virtual dungeon. An artificial dungeon entered by wearing the device and lying down.

Essentially, it was like a virtual reality game.

‘A virtual reality game within a virtual reality game…’

Every time he thought about it, the feeling was strange.

“U-uh…”
“Good luck to everyone.”

Other hunters trembled. Calm Yujin entered the device and put on the goggles.

The black screen faded, revealing a lush green meadow.

Rrrr—

Over the green fields, fat monsters wielding greatswords appeared.

Orcs. They were mostly monsters of E to D rank.

Individually not that strong, but too much to handle alone.

“P-please fix my items… please…”

Survive these monsters, and fix the items of the boy clutching his pant leg.

That was the dungeon test.

‘Criteria are survival and enhancement speed.’

The higher score came from survival.

Though finishing enhancements quickly was also a method, the difference in difficulty was extreme.

‘Perfect opportunity to showcase my ability.’

Yujin had no intention of rushing. This was a chance to impress Seolgwi.

“Kid.”
“…Yes?”
“Have you ever fought before?”
“Ah, no…?”

The sensations were so vivid that it felt real despite being virtual.

Exactly. This level of realism made the skill usable.

“No experience? That’s fine.”

White light burst from Yujin’s hand.

[Skill ‘Soul Enhancement’ activated.]

“If it’s weak, I just make it strong.”