Jae-sung didn't look convinced.
More tests followed, they tested his reflexes, how well he could manipulate energy, spatial ability demonstration.
Yoo performed well, carefully showed Extras World entrance, small gap, only large enough for himself, he also demonstrated Bind which was just weak threads that restrained a wooden block.
Impressive considering his age, but not threatening for Platinum-ranks, after three hours, Min-ji concluded the assessment.
"He's remarkable. Adult consciousness, spatial abilities, energy sensitivity, but he's still physically developing, his current combat capacity: negligible. He'd die to the weakest Fledgling beast."
"Obviously," Jae-sung said. "He's a baby."
"Which presents you an opportunity, Mr. Lee, how would you like a contract?"
"What kind?"
"Six months. You join Reaper's Squad, this is an elite hunting group, with a Diamond-rank leader, they take on dangerous missions with high mortality rate, but also: high rewards. Complete the contract, and you'll advance to Platinum threshold, maybe beyond."
"And my son?"
"What do you mean, of course he stays here, under academy protection, we'll feed him, house him, continue developmental monitoring.
When you return, given his growth rate, he should be old enough to begin actual training."
"You want me to leave him."
"I want you to become strong enough to protect him, cause right now, you're Gold-high, and I don't see that helping against the threats he'll face. Six months with Reaper? You'll be Platinum minimum, possibly Platinum-high, at least escape when you're surrounded by very strong men"
Jae-sung looked at Yoo. "What do you think, kid?"
Yoo thought about it.
'Staying here for six months alone, at the academy, I'm sure I'll be under some kind of surveillance, and even vulnerable, that's if they turn against us
If the plan goes well dad would return as a platinum rank, that's surely enough to protect us, I also have that time to develop my abilities too and train in secret if needed.'
He nodded
Do it. I'll survive.
"You sure?" Jae-sung's voice broke slightly.
"Yes," Yoo forced out, clear and final.
"Then that's it," Jae-sung told Min-ji. "If anything happens to him while I'm gone... "
"You'll kill us all, yes, I remember, don't worry." Min-ji smiled. "He's too valuable to damage anyways e'll treat him well."
Jae-sung signed the contract.
Yoo looked beside the room, 'Six months. I'll be stronger when you return. Strong enough that you'll be proud.'
The Departure
Jae-sung left three days later, before going, he held Yoo one last time.
"You're the strongest person I know, and you're ten weeks old, that's insane." He kissed Yoo's forehead. "Grow, learn and try to survive, I'll be back."
Jae-sung handed him to Ji-hye, She was hired by the academy as Yoo's primary caretaker, a familiar face would be invaluable at the moment.
"Take care of him."
"With my life," Ji-hye promised.
Jae-sung left.
Yoo watched him go, feeling the distance growing.
Six months. I can do six months.
Ji-hye's Worry
Ji hye rocked him.
"It's okay. Your daddy will come back."
Will he? Six months with Reaper's Squad. Mortality rate is what, forty percent?
Yoo just lay there, his small body's emotional regulation was terrible, anxiety combined with child's hormones created feedback loop he couldn't control.
"It's okay." Ji-hye held him close. "I know you understand me. I know you're not normal, but you're still a baby who misses his father, no one says it's not allowed."
I'm not a baby. I'm twenty-nine years old, I don't need this.
Some time after exhaustion claimed him, and in his dreams, he saw the alley again, the gunshot and the blood.
Not again. I refuse to lose someone else.
Day One Without Father
Morning. Ji-hye woke him. Fed him. Changed him.
Routine.
Yoo was just busy thinking of thinking of the best ways to go through this time
Academy staff came for daily assessment, scan, measurements and questions he answered with gestures and crude writing.
They documented everything.
"I'm a lab rat, but at least I'm protected, partly because I can't be replicated, cause if I could, ha, I doubt these guys would keep their word"
Better than being a dead rat.
That afternoon, Min-ji visited.
"How are you adjusting?"
Yoo shrugged,
"It's understandable, your eparation anxiety is normal, even for you, apparently." She sat across from him. "I'm going to be direct. Your father will likely die."
Yoo's blood went cold.
"Reaper's Squad has sixty percent casualty rate over six months. Your father is strong, but he's not Diamond-rank. The missions they undertake, clearing Overlord-tier threats, securing high-value resources, they're designed for expendable Gold-ranks to support Diamond-rank leaders, meaning... Your father is expendable."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because you need to prepare for his death, and because... if you want him to survive, you need to give me something better"
What?
"Information, about your abilities, I need the real information,
Gotta hand it to you, your sanitized version is believable but." She leaned forward. "I know you're hiding capabilities, everyone does. The question is: how much are you willing to reveal to save your father?"
Yoo stared at her.
This is extortion.
"It's negotiation," Min-ji corrected, as if reading his mind. "I can assign additional support to Reaper's Squad, and make sure your father gets preferential healing, a better equipment, and assignment to less suicidal missions, but I need justification, and that justification is: you're more valuable than we thought,
And of course you can gamble your father's life, after all... it's his life that's on the line, not yours."
What do you want to know?
"Your pocket dimension. It's larger than you've shown, so, how large?"
Yoo hesitated. Then wrote: 22 CUBIC METERS.
"And it has special properties? Beyond storage?"
HEALING. FASTER RECOVERY.
Min-ji's eyes gleamed. "That's significant. Healing domains are rare, Platinum-level ability at minimum. If you can develop it further, expand the size, increase the healing rate, you become strategic asset, worth protecting, worth investing in, now you're worth keeping your father alive."
She tapped the table twice then she stood. "Thank you for your honesty, I'll arrange better support for Mr. Lee, I think he might actually survive now."
She left.
Yoo sat alone, shaking.
'This woman she's dangerous'
"Correct," Akasha confirmed. "But necessary. Probability of host father survival increased from 38% to 71%. Acceptable trade."
'Is it? Where does it end? How much do I give away to keep the people I care about safe?'
"Unknown. But alternative is watching them die while you hide secrets, is that preferable?"
'No.'
It wasn't.
Then I'll do what I have to, reveal what I must, and hide what I must.
And hope it's enough.