Transcendent Hunter with a Dimensional Factory - Chapter 2
Episode 1
Prologue. S-rank Appearance
“Unmeasurable came up?”
Awakener Management Bureau Headquarters, Republic of Korea. Also known as the ‘Center’.
Team Leader Jang Il-hyun of the Capital Management Team steadied his breath that had risen to his throat. He’d gotten the call on his way home and ran here like mad; he had no idea how many lights he had run.
“We have escorted her to the waiting room for now.”
“The new measurement device we brought from Washington yesterday, it can operate, right? Get it ready right away.”
“Team Leader, there’s also a chance it’s just a simple machine error-”
“Now!”
At the sharp shout, the team members hurriedly dashed off. Jang Il-hyun swallowed dryly and stood in front of the waiting room.
There are only two cases where the rank measurer displays [Unmeasurable].
One is, as the team members said, a simple mechanical malfunction, but if it’s the other case, then at last in this country……!
‘Uh, a kid?’
“Are you Ms. Gyeon Ji-o?”
Small, and young, too.
He was startled, but the reflexes of a battle-hardened civil servant of the Republic of Korea were formidable. Jang Il-hyun calmly and politely lowered himself to her eye level.
“Yes?”
“……Excuse me, but did your guardian not come with you?”
“I came alone.”
“Again, excuse me, but your age—no, how old are you?”
“I’ll be in 4th grade the day after tomorrow. But mister, do they usually grill you like this when you register as an Awakened? It’s an invasion of privacy.”
“……My apologies.”
You get in big trouble if you underestimate kids these days.
Under the fierce gaze of the feral child, the adult, Jang Il-hyun, meekly shrank.
Meanwhile, the new measuring device was being busily set up. It had just arrived last night from Washington, USA.
The unidentified black tower and the gates spewing out otherworldly monsters.
And…… the superhumans who fight them, transcending the limits of humanity.
Awakened Hunter.
It had already been years since their emergence changed the genre of the world.
That meant research data related to [Stone of Babel], which reads awakening information, had piled up just as much.
This version, said to be close to the final complete form, was the latest model that pinpointed everything perfectly from an Awakened’s growth limits to magical power values.
“Hmm. The maximum on the old version was AAA-rank, right? Maybe your prediction is right, Team Leader.”
“Deputy Team Leader. Weren’t you off duty?”
“Same as you, Team Leader. I ran over on an emergency call. But you know, even if this is right, isn’t that a problem?”
She’s that young…….
The Deputy Team Leader muttered, sneaking a glance toward the child a short distance away.
“Did you see the report? Third year of elementary school. And an early-year birth at that.”
“The country’s lifeline is at stake; this isn’t the time to nitpick trivialities. I’m sick and tired of the spicy beef soup at funeral homes.”
“What the…… he’s serious, this guy. He’s genuinely getting his hopes up.”
“Of course. An unregistered Awakened only nine years old.”
There is only one way for someone to awaken without going through the formal procedure called the tutorial in the Tower.
Constellation Contract.
That is― Sacred Pact.
Mysterious, transcendent beings that appeared with the Tower. The only path was to be chosen by those great ‘stars’ who sit at the summit of the Tower of Babel, the [Heavenly Gate], looking down on humanity.
Jang Il-hyun wiped the sweat beneath his glasses. Whether from nerves or not, cold sweat kept breaking out.
“I, you see…… I’ve never heard of a case of an Awakened this young anywhere in the world. One of those finicky and notoriously arrogant Constellations formed a ‘Sacred Pact’ to lend its power to a kid who can barely hold a proper conversation.”
“…….”
“Whether that little child is the hero we’ve been waiting for, or a monster…… the birth of an unprecedented cosmic silver spoon is the one certain thing.”
It was almost impossible not to be excited. Jang Il-hyun held back the rest of what he wanted to say.
Just then, as the air around the grade-schooler sucking on chocolate milk began to stir in a portentous buzz.
“Team Leader! They say the measuring room setup is complete.”
“Let’s go. Ms. Ji-o, this way.”
Following the Team Leader’s guidance, Ji-o also stood up.
Contrary to her prim and sulky impression, a chick-shaped keychain jingled from her bag.
[“Awakened Gyeon Ji-o, we will begin rank measurement.”]
Ji-o stepped into the box that looked like an opaque shower booth.
People inside the Center stared at the child with tense faces.
The hour was well past quitting time.
The measuring room, holding its breath with expectation and unease, was quiet, and while Jang Il-hyun nervously chewed his nails…….
Ding-!
With a clear chime, the magical power hologram finally output the results.
Everyone quickly skimmed the letters.
Ji-o also lifted her head and looked.
Gyeon Ji-o
20××. 01. 01
Gyeon Ji-o
· Type: Combat class | Magical power specialization
· Growth progress: Stage 1
· Potential limit: Unknown
· Magical power value: Unmeasurable
· Magical power sensitivity level: Supreme
[Final Rank: S]
“Crazy…….”
An expletive someone let slip without meaning to. Everyone felt the same.
“I-it’s really S-rank!”
And at the same time, the Babel Network, [World Channel], rang.
《Congratulations, Korea!》
《The first S-rank Awakened is born in the Republic of Korea.》
[Local Server ― ‘Republic of Korea’ channel expansion]
[Sub-Local Server ― Metropolitan channels outside the capital, Seoul, open]
*With the birth of a powerful front-runner, the ‘Republic of Korea’ channel is upgraded from a ‘general management country’ to a ‘top-priority management country’.
*The functions to create formal dungeons and notify rift coordinates are added to the channel.
*At Korea’s Tower of Babel, the Heavenly Gate, high-ranking Constellations take their seats.
Thank you, God.
May there finally be hope and light in my homeland as well!
With tear-filled eyes, Jang Il-hyun gave a standing ovation. Choking up, he spread his arms wide toward Ji-o.
“At last, S-rank! Gyeon Ji-o, just what Constellation are you serving! What are you all doing, hurry and contact the Director!”
‘Ah, shit…….’
With a face like he had chewed something bitter, Ji-o dodged the sweaty man’s shoulder attack.
It wasn’t just the world notifications. The private notification window visible only to Ji-o was also going berserk.
▷ All rankings are being updated.
▷ Local ― Republic of Korea
▷ Domestic Ranker Channel 1
▶ Rank 1 entering
/Gyeon Ji-o, please set your nickname./
| 14 | Hamlet: ……Is this for real?
| 27 | Gold Roger: Wow;; S-rank, that’s crazy
| 30 | Yuchiwon: Everything?? All rankings changed? Worldwide????
| 49 | Gam Su-yang: They said when an S-rank appears, the major regional channels would open, and it was true; right now, from Seoul to the Metropolitan Cities, they all seem to be open.
| 12 | Gu Pa-seong: I was debating emigrating, and look at this timing lolol
| 8 | Kinopio: Who is number 1 please say something
| 3 | Alpha: Even the second-place spot gets pushed out…….
‘……Unni. Were you going to make it this strong?’
[Your Contracted Constellation, ‘Reader of Fate,’ is feeling very wronged.]
[Says, ‘Didn’t I tell you,’ and points a finger, saying that it was you, the cocky brat, who wouldn’t listen at all.]
No, but giving an S-rank to an elementary schooler is too much. This damn star doesn’t know moderation.
Ji-o took a step back.
Fully grown adults were approaching, wailing.
‘× I’m screwed…….’
Mom, what do I do? I didn’t intend this……
Looks like your daughter just took first place on the Korean Peninsula.