Something Keeps Appearing in My Subspace - Chapter 5

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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5. Have you confirmed everything properly?
“Ah, so that’s the person.”
“Who?”
“The porter who survived the Deformed Gate yesterday and awakened. I overheard the manager talking about it.”
Kim immediately understood why the man looked so exhausted. It must have been from writing the Deformed Gate report.
“If he awakened while running away, is he a thief?”
“Probably.”
“That’s vague.”
“Well, at least he’s not a martial artist. Martial artists have to go to construction sites.”
Martial artists, who could only use their skills barehanded, found hunter life nearly impossible.
The conversation couldn’t continue. The man approached them.
“I’m here to get my awakening verified.”
“Please provide your ID and place your hand on this device.”
Awakening verification was a simple procedure. It ended once the mana detection device confirmed the presence of mana.
A green light illuminated on the device. It meant he was an awakened one.
“Han Hye, your awakening has been verified. Would you like to disclose your status window?”
“No.”
Han Hye firmly declined. Kim nodded. Most people chose not to disclose it.
Until a few years ago, awakening registration had required mandatory status window disclosure.
However, after all information on domestic awakened hunters was sold to China, the law was amended.
Since a hunter’s information was also a valuable asset, the policy shifted to protecting it as much as possible.
“Then you can tell us directly.”
Still, they needed to know the job class and general abilities. From E-rank hunters onward, they were conscripted to open-type gates.
Awakened ones had to be deployed, but mages and healers couldn’t be placed on the front lines.
“If you’re not a mage or healer, please be aware that lying will result in punishment under relevant laws.”
“My job is Spacer. My ability is something like an inventory.”
“Pardon?”
“I can put things in and take them out.”
“?”
As the staff members looked startled, Han Hye scratched the back of her head. Then a black hole appeared with a whooshing sound.
Han Hye placed her smartphone into that hole and pulled it back out.
“Something like this?”
Even for those handling awakening verification, it was an ability they’d never seen before.
The staff members who quickly regained their composure continued speaking.
“Ah, yes. Han Hye, you’ve been confirmed as an F-rank hunter.”
“Understood.”
All awakened ones start from F-rank regardless of job class or skill grade. The structure requires accumulating achievements to advance.
“Um, if you’re going to work as a hunter, you need to participate in the workshop organized by the Hunter Association, right?”
“Yes.”
It was a system created a few years ago to reduce the mortality rate of low-level awakened ones. The duration isn’t long.
One week.
I learned about the interior of Gates and gained experience by entering low-level Gates alongside a supervisor.
“The workshop starts in three days, but since the timeline is tight, you’re welcome to participate in the next workshop being held a month from now.”
“I’ll do this workshop.”
“Are you certain? There will be evaluations during the workshop. It’s better to study the materials provided by the Hunter Association beforehand….”
“That’s fine.”
Han Hye answered firmly. Time wasn’t an issue for me. I had my subspace, after all.
After receiving additional explanations about the workshop, I gathered the materials.
“Where do I go for the ‘Talent Confirmation’ test?”
“Head to the third floor.”
“Thank you.”
Han Hye turned calmly and left.
Without paying any attention to how shocked the two of them were.
“….”
The eyes of the two people remaining in their seats met. Why hadn’t anyone awakened as a porter yet? If someone like that appeared, they’d invest in expensive rare skills….
That was what they’d been discussing just moments before.
“Park?”
This wasn’t a situation to sit idle. Park nodded and immediately picked up his smartphone.
“Team Leader. I have something to report….”
The team leader who answered the call phoned someone above him. After three rounds of calls, the phone reached the Hunter Association Chairman.
“What?”
The Chairman, in the middle of external duties, responded with a slightly annoyed tone.
But it took less than three seconds for that annoyance to transform into shock.
“What? A subspace? An inventory ability?”
It was exactly the ability he’d been searching for. No, not just the Chairman—several countries had been searching for it too.
Still, there was something that needed to be confirmed first.
“Was that properly verified?”
The practical utility of the ability. In the early days of the Gate crisis, how many incidents had been caused by rare jobs?
Considering the losses suffered because of it, there was a need to verify this thoroughly.
“You saw it with your own eyes? Then that’s good enough. So what’s the size of it? You don’t know that?”
The Chairman felt his heart racing.
A subspace. The size was unknown. If it were only the size of a small backpack, it wouldn’t be particularly useful.
‘…But what if it’s quite spacious?’
For instance, if it were the size of a small one-room apartment? Without question—no, absolutely—this was talent that had to be secured.
He didn’t expect someone with a subspace ability to possess the strength of an S-rank Hunter.
Rather, it was the expectation that they could increase the survival rate of S-rank Hunters, who were treated as national strategic assets and whose value couldn’t be measured in money.
‘Of course, they’d need to have the qualities of a Hunter.’
A subspace—I don’t expect combat talent like other A-rank or S-rank Hunters. But they must have the basic qualities.
There were quite a few who, despite having good abilities and skills, couldn’t adapt to Gates and gave up their Hunter careers.
In other words, ability and the qualities of a Hunter. With just those two things, a subspace awakener would become the top priority for recruitment.
For the future, and to increase the survival rate of the vanguard.
Level?
It doesn’t matter. I can raise them.
‘I just need to find elixirs and secret techniques, then teach them combat skills.’
It would be nice if they fought better, of course, but I’m not expecting that much. The subspace will likely be classified as a support-type ability.
Staying in the rear, guarding beside mages and healers—that’s sufficient. If they can even take on rear-guard duties, that’s a bonus.
“What about skill rank? Ah, you said you didn’t reveal your status window.”
-Yes.
“Treat them with respect at the workshop and observe them carefully. If we spot potential, we must seize it.”
The Association Director added a cautionary note.
“Do you understand? Keep a close eye on them, and like I said before—really, truly treat them with respect. Absolutely do not offend them.”
-I will keep that in mind.
* * *
The Hunter Association’s talent assessment test was a benefit for Awakened individuals. Like Awakened certification, it wasn’t complicated.
It wasn’t a test where you picked up different weapons and tried them out. It took one second.
A rare occupation: Talent Reader.
Using a skill called Reading, they identified which category of talent an Awakened individual possessed and informed them.
It was a process all Awakened individuals went through to avoid wasting time on fields where they had no talent.
For me, who had no information beyond having a subspace ability, it was exactly the test I needed.
“Mana will enter your body, so just accept it without resisting.”
“Okay.”
Foreign mana flowed in. It felt like a brief sweep.
“Han Hye, you should pursue the path of swordsmanship.”
“Swordsmanship?”
“Yes. I sense it’s the swordsmanship path.”
The answer was vague, but it was satisfying enough. I’d been torn between the sword and magic, so having a result this quickly was helpful.
If something like a spear or axe had come up, it would have been a disaster.
‘Writing the report took about two hours.’
The time spent registering as an Awakened individual and confirming my talent didn’t even reach twenty minutes.
Still, I’d been at the Hunter Association for over four hours. It was because of Deok-su’s funeral.
He died inside the Gate, but since he had no family, the Hunter Association held the funeral service.
I came out early in the morning and attended his funeral. Of course, there weren’t many people.
It was just me and a few who appeared to be non-Awakened hunters. Since he was a good man, I offered my respects with a reverent heart.
I hope that Red Dragon can be hunted someday.
.
.
.
After returning home from the Association, I immediately began learning the secret technique.
[You have learned Imperial Basic Swordsmanship (E-rank). Swordsmanship (F-rank) lv1 has evolved into Imperial Basic Swordsmanship (E-rank) lv1.]
It was E-rank swordsmanship, but I was grateful for it.
Like most Awakened ones, including my former self, I possessed F-rank swordsmanship. It was what I’d learned at the martial arts dojangs on Earth.
Unless one awakened as a Warrior and obtained swordsmanship skills outright, or achieved enlightenment alone, or acquired secret techniques, nearly everyone remained at F-rank.
Knowledge of swordsmanship flooded into my mind. The influx of information caused a slight headache.
“Mmm.”
As the headache faded, my hands began to itch. Was it because the information about swordsmanship had just been hammered into my head?
I genuinely wanted to swing a sword. The timing was perfect, too.
‘Thank you, sir.’
Yesterday, I’d explored the subspace with Chul-ki. The subspace measured six meters in length, width, and height.
Chul-ki mentioned it could serve as a training ground and generously provided various training equipment.
-Use these. I don’t need them anymore.
They were things he’d used in the past, stored away in a warehouse.
A training dummy embedded with low-grade mana stones, an iron sword, a wooden sword, sandbags, and more.
They were a bit worn since they were from years ago, but…
-You’re not throwing away garbage, are you?
-You brat… These are things I received when I signed a Dragon Knight contract. They’re more expensive than you think.
Upon inspection, they truly were more valuable than I’d assumed. In any case, he gave them all generously. Thanks to him, my enriched subspace now held a wooden sword in my grip.
Though somewhat worn, it appeared to be in good condition. Then I recalled the Empire’s Basic Swordsmanship.
– Position the hand holding the sword in front of the left chest. The back of the hand faces forward.
I moved the sword according to the information the secret technique provided. A movement I was performing for the first time. Even with the knowledge, it was naturally clumsy.
I struck the low-grade mana stone training dummy with the wooden sword.
Thwack—thwack! Despite being a formless dummy, the impact sound was loud. The mana stone beneath it was emitting a mana barrier.
Since it was identical to an Awakened one’s mana barrier, I naturally couldn’t cut through it without using mana.
No matter how hard I swung, it simply bounced back.
The barrier would break from excessive impact or if struck with mana, but it would regenerate once recharged.
‘So it’s something like this?’
I realized this was defense-oriented swordsmanship. When the information first arrived, I’d wondered why the movements were like that, but…
Actually performing them, I could understand. These were defensive movements against enemy attacks.
Blocking and cutting, deflecting and thrusting, redirecting and slashing.
The movements varied, but the principle was consistent. It was a line-defense-then-counterattack swordsmanship that adapted to the opponent’s attacks.
Perhaps because I’d diligently attended the martial arts dojang during my porter days, I could grasp the principle intuitively.
‘Basic’ swordsmanship wasn’t complicated. It lacked flashy sword dances or continuous specific movements.
‘The more I move, the more I internalize it.’
From proper sword grip to systematic defense followed by counterattack—it was perfectly suited for someone like me, freshly awakened.
I especially appreciated the emphasis on defending first.
All Awakened ones share this truth: survival is paramount.
As I caught my breath and gazed at the subspace, Chul-ki’s words from yesterday resurfaced in my mind.
-You might be onto something. Equipment and secret techniques have already emerged from the subspace.
-Exactly. There’s definitely a secret here.
-As your skill level rises, the space might expand, and better things could appear. That would be next.
-Next?
—Right. D-rank weapon with E-rank technique, so C-rank weapon with D-rank technique? Maybe B-rank comes next.
It was mere speculation for now, but not an unreasonable one. All abilities had levels and grew in strength.
My subspace would naturally grow as well. What would change along with it remained unknown.
‘There’s definitely something here.’
Weapons and techniques, swordsmanship and magic—choices laid before me.
It felt like a gift for someone newly awakened. Perhaps later I’d truly obtain B-rank or A-rank swordsmanship.
‘Well, raising skill levels will take time, though.’
Raising skill levels wasn’t easy. It required repeated use, plus a deep understanding of the skill itself.
Or I could get lucky and have a skill level rise as a reward from clearing a Gate.
Whatever secrets lay within this subspace, I’d be able to confirm them after some time passed.
Of course, I had to grow as well.
‘I want to level up quickly.’
Then skill levels would rise, stats would increase, and I could check if there were better weapons and techniques available….
‘Wait.’
That’s when the Poong-shin Blade resting beside the desk caught my eye.
[Poong-shin Blade (D-rank)]
—A sword once wielded by Poong-shin, the Sword Master of Bogtan, when he was very young.
—The blade is imbued with the power of wind.
—If Strength and Agility are 15 or higher, Wind Slash (Lv1) becomes usable.
I’d been so overwhelmed I’d forgotten about it, but this was definitely a sword capable of using skills.
‘If Strength and Agility are 15 or higher’—what were my current stats again?

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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