Four Months Later
Yoo was six months old chronologically.
Physically, he appeared about two years old, the academy's doctors had stopped being surprised, now they just documented the whatever they saw because they were already used to it.
"Subject Yoo: developmental age eighteen months. Chronological age: twenty-five weeks. Acceleration factor: 3.7x normal human growth. Motor skills: advanced. Cognitive function: adult-equivalent. Conclusion: unprecedented."
Yoo sat in the examination room, tolerating another scan, through the time he spent here he learnt patience, and the fact that a baby's greatest weapon was appearing harmless while planning.
"Four months summary," Akasha reported as doctors worked. "Physical progression: optimal. Extras World expansion: 47 cubic meters. Skill development: Bind-8% effectiveness, Energy Sense-127 meter range, Melt-moderate corrosion capability. Speech capability: 89% developed. Emotional regulation: improved."
And Dad?
"Last communication: 3 weeks ago. Status: alive. Injured but recovering. Mission success rate: acceptable. Current rank: Gold-high 37, approaching Platinum threshold."
Three weeks without word from his dad, Yoo tried not to worry about it, The academy claimed Reaper's Squad was in a communication blackout zone, deep dungeon clearance, no external contact.
But not-knowing what was happening at the moment gnawed at him.
"All done," the doctor said, removing sensors. "You're healthy. Remarkably so, your body is adjusting perfectly."
Yoo just nodded to give the impression of his prodigious self, an image he tried to portray to increase his value
The doctor left. Ji-hye entered immediately, she was just waiting outside, as always.
"Ready for training?" she asked.
Yoo nodded, at one and half-year-old physical development, he could walk, run, speak in full sentences ( he deliberately kept it simple), and had enough motor control for basic combat training.
The academy had started him on fundamentals two weeks ago, Today was his ninth session.
I the training Yard that early Morning, there were Twenty children, most between the ages 3–7 physically, though some were chronologically younger thanks to Core Surge acceleration.
All of them anomalies also known as special cases or prodigies who happened to manifest abilities too early, grown too fast, or shown intelligence beyond their years.
Yoo was the youngest of them chronologically, but mid-range physically.
The instructor, a scarred Gold-rank named Sergeant Park, he surveyed them with barely concealed contempt.
"You're all freaks," he announced. "Accidents, mistakes. The only reason you're here instead of dissection tables is because you might be useful, you might, so prove it, we'll start with the basic forms. Begin!"
They moved through combat stances. Punch. Block. Kick, they kept repeating the same over and over while Sergent park kept running his mouth.
Yoo performed adequately, not exactly perfect, doing that would draw attention, but competently enough to avoid punishment.
'I don't really like these repetitive training stuff, it's tiring, and boring'
"This is necessary for physical conditioning builds foundation. Your body requires extensive training to match your mental capabilities."
'I know, but it doesn't mean I have to like it.'
Beside him, a girl executed every step with very good form, she should be around four years old physically, and three chronologically, Yoo had learned from overheard conversations, her name was Seo-yeon, the daughter of a dead Platinum-rank hunter.
Bronze rank 3 already, genuine prodigy, she'd been watching Yoo curiously since training began, during break, she approached.
"You're weird," she stated.
'So that's how these children see me? , even children think I'm strange.'
"Thanks?" Yoo managed.
"why do you move like somethings always on your mind," She demonstrated a punch—fast, instinctive. "See? No thinking."
"I prefer thinking."
"That's weird." She grinned. "Anyways, do you want to spar?"
Yoo considered, sparring might expose him and at the same time refusing might also seem suspicious, and he needed combat experience against real opponents.
"Okay."
Sergeant Park allowed it, he probably was hoping to see one of them hurt.
They faced each other. Seo-yeon bounced on her feet with energy and excitement. Yoo set his stance carefully.
'She's Bronze 3, I'm unranked still, physical age equivalent, she has training advantage.'
"Probability of victory: 23%. However, defeat provides valuable learning data. Recommend: observe her technique for future reference."
'Gee, thanks for the confidence.'
"Begin!" Park shouted.
Seo-yeon attacked immediately with a fast punch aimed at Yoo's face.
He blocked, barely. Her fist enhanced with bronze-rank strength, she followed with low kick, he jumped back, nearly loosing balance.
Too slow his body still not used to these kind of movement, she pressed advantage, starting with another set of combination attack one punch another punch a kick and a sweep.
Yoo blocked two, dodged one, got hit by the sweep, and fell hard.
"Point!" Park announced.
Yoo stood, frustrated, his mind knew how to fight, he already watched hundreds of hours of combat footage, analyzed every technique, but his body execution was top tier trash.
Theory means nothing without practice.
Yoo tried different approach, so instead of blocking, he used footwork, allowing Seo-yeon's attacks miss by millimeters, conserved energy and waited for an opening.
She overextended on a kick, he grabbed her leg, used Bind to thread energy around her ankle, not aiming to hurt, just to disrupt balance.
She stumbled, he swept her standing leg.
She fell.
"Point!" Park sounded surprised.
Seo-yeon popped up, eyes shining. "You used energy manipulation!"
"It's basic Bind," Yoo said, downplaying.
"For you maybe, I can't do that yet." She looked at him with new respect. "You're really strong, let's be friends."
'Friends? Literally, I'm twenty-nine years old, and she's actually three.'
But it wasnt much trouble to him anyways.
"Okay then."
She beamed. "Great! After training, do you want to see something cool? I found a secret spot in the marketplace."
The Marketplace
The academy had its own internal marketplace. It was small but the whold place was always lively, hunters traded cores, equipment, services.
Seo-yeon led Yoo through crowds, ducking between adults' legs, navigating with practiced ease.
"This way!" She pointed to a back alley between two storage buildings.
Yoo followed, Energy Sense alert for threats.
They emerged in a small clearing. And there, sitting on salvaged crates, was an old trader, his face was weathered, he was also missing an eye, his aura that read Silver-rank but felt... wrong, distorted somehow.
"Warning: Energy signature anomalous. Possible concealment technique. True rank: unknown. Recommend: caution."
"This is Mr. Han," Seo-yeon introduced. "He trades cool stuff, that normally you won't find in marketplace, secret things."
Han smiled with too many teeth. "Ah, Seo-yeon brings new customer, welcome, strange child."
'Does he know me?'
"I trade in rarities," Han continued. "Items the academy doesn't approve, techniques they won't teach, and Information they won't share." He leaned forward. "What do you seek, little anomaly?"
'Maybe I should leave this very much seems like a trap or some old man taking money from ignorant children, I'm not sure but let me try'
"Do you have any information, about the Core Surge."
"Ah, that's actually a good question." Han pulled out a data tablet, old, cracked, but functional.
"Core Surge was not natural, it was a catalyst, and a deliberate intervention by Novas, as for their purpose, to accelerate human evolution, separate viable specimens from waste."
"Who are the Novas"
"Beyond the Trial realm there are all Novas they are either divinity or have transcended divinity"
"Why?"
"Everyone thinks it's because endgame approaches, Aethon and Chaos's game enters final phase. They need strong pieces, weak pieces are... discarded,
Well... Thats true but theres more to that, this signifies the fighting amongst two major realms humans are more like colleteral damage" Han's remaining eye gleamed. "One billion died during Surge, that was the discarding, the fact that you survived, means either you're important or you're very useless to their end goal."
Yoo's blood chilled, One billion people died as population culling?
"The entities," Yoo pressed. "What do they want?"
"Entertainment, power, victory, It depends which entity you ask." Han scrolled through data. "But I can tell you this: Earth is battlefield, humans are even less than pawns, when the final move occurs, three years or less, reality restructures, winners reshape existence, losers cease to exist, at least that's what we understand."
"How do you know this?"
Han's smile widened impossibly. "Because I've seen it before, other worlds, other games, i'm what you might call... The Veteran Observer."
'He's not human, or he was human once and became something else.'
"Confirmed. Energy signature analysis indicates: non-standard biology. Possible former human transformed through prolonged exposure to cosmic forces. Threat level: unknown but significant."
"What do you want in trade?" Yoo asked carefully.
"For this information? Nothing, it's free, primer for future transactions." Han leaned back. "Child, I will offer you special deal. One-time only, because you're interesting. Hahahaha"
He pulled out a small crystal, red, pulsing with contained energy.
"Dragon-series core. From Wyvern. Awakened-tier. Normally costs five thousand tokens. For you: free. If you absorb successfully, you gain significant power boost, but if you fail... " Han shrugged. "... you die messily."
Yoo stared at the core, it radiated danger, not evil, just concentrated lethality.
'This could kill me, or make me much stronger.'
"Analysis: core is genuine. Awakened-tier Dragon-series. Absorption risk for current host body: 67% mortality. However, if successful: estimated rank advancement to Bronze 8 minimum. Possibly Iron 10. Significant power gain."
Why are you offering this free? Yoo asked Han.
"Because I enjoy interesting outcomes. You absorb it and die? Entertaining. You survive? More entertaining. Either way, I win." Han's expression turned serious. "But real reason: Novas are watching you and here many factions want you. You're valuable, I prefer valuable things to survive long enough to become more valuable. This core helps that."
"What's the catch?"
"Catch is: if you survive, you owe me favor, one favor which is unspecified. To be called when I choose, It could be information, could be action, and probably if you're lucky would be nothing, but you'll owe."
'This is classic devil's bargain.'
"Affirmative. However, benefit-to-risk ratio is favorable if host survives absorption. Recommendation: accept with caution."
Seo-yeon was watching, confused. "Are you actually considering this? That core could kill you!"
"I know." Yoo looked at Han. "How long do I have to decide?"
"Until you leave this alley... Once you walk away, the offer vanishes."