Chapter 8
The Heavenly Demon Goes to the Awakened Registration Center
The public health center was built far from the city, near the border zone where the Shield shimmered in view.
As soon as he stepped out of the car, the Heavenly Demon raised his head and looked up at the sky.
A clear, cloudless sky — and high above, a faint, glass-like shimmer rippled across the air.
They were close enough to the dungeon area that the Shield, which couldn’t be clearly seen from within the city, was now visible to the naked eye.
“Hmm. The issuance…”
Jang Chaewon entered the health center and looked toward the large information board attached to the first-floor wall.
“Ah, second floor.”
The two took the elevator up. On the second floor, they stepped into a large office filled with dozens of employees sitting at their desks.
“Um, I’m here to get a copy of my medical exam results.”
At her words, a young man seated at the front of the room handed her a form.
“You just need to fill this out.”
“Okay.”
She took the form, pulled out a pen — and then her handbag rang with a tiririring.
“Hello? Oh, yes, boss.”
While filling out the form, Jang Chaewon’s eyes suddenly widened.
“What? It’s leaking? From the bathroom we just renovated a few days ago?”
Her face hardened as she listened for a while, then nodded.
“Yes, understood. I’ll come right away.”
She quickly hung up, handed the filled-out form to the Heavenly Demon, and said,
“This is all done. I need to run to the site for a bit, so you can go ahead and get the exam in the meantime.”
“I do not know the method.”
“Don’t worry. Just give them this paper — they’ll know what to do and print the results for you.”
She glanced at the clock on her phone and waved as she headed out.
“I’ll be back before your test ends, so wait a bit, okay?”
“Hmm.”
The Heavenly Demon looked at the paper, sighed, and turned toward the office.
But the young man who had been sitting at the desk was now gone.
He waited silently for several minutes, but the man never returned.
“Hmm.”
With a low hum, the Heavenly Demon walked outside. He was just about to look around when—
“Can I help you?”
A clear female voice came from behind.
When he turned, a young woman in her twenties stood there holding a stack of documents.
“Are you speaking to me?”
A massive, razor-edged body even professional bodybuilders couldn’t compare to. Eyes glowing red like burning coals. A face that would send anyone running in terror at night.
Yet the woman didn’t flinch. She stared for a moment, then suddenly waved her hands.
“Oh no, you shouldn’t be here!”
“What do you mean?”
“Did you already fill out your form?”
He glanced down at the paper and nodded.
“Yes. The shopkeeper filled it out for me.”
“Then you need to hurry across to the other building. You’re out of time!”
“The other building?”
“Yes! If you go out and cross the parking lot, it’s right there.”
At her urgent tone, the Heavenly Demon nodded.
“I see. My thanks.”
The woman sighed as she watched the towering man jog away.
“They really shouldn’t have built both buildings to look identical… people keep getting confused.”
The Heavenly Demon ran down the stairs and across the lot to the large building opposite.
Outside, a crowd of people of all ages, genders, and styles of dress stood gathered.
“No need to rush.”
An elderly man smiled at the Heavenly Demon, who had hurried up.
Though his hair was graying, his posture was straight and his body muscular.
“You’ll go in by order anyway.”
The Heavenly Demon narrowed his eyes.
So these are all here for a health exam?
This was clearly different from the “quick process” Jang Chaewon had promised.
The old man pointed at the paper in the Heavenly Demon’s hand.
“Why’re you still holding that? Didn’t you submit it?”
The Heavenly Demon nodded silently.
“Too late now,” the old man whispered. “Just go in first. There are always missing forms — once your rank is assigned, they’ll have you submit it again.”
Rank? They assign ranks for health now?
As the Heavenly Demon tucked the paper into his chest, the old man smiled kindly.
“It’ll be fine. You’ll do great.”
Unlike the average citizen who would have fainted from a single glance, this man looked at the Heavenly Demon with calm, friendly eyes.
“Ah, I see. I awakened without any skill, just physical enhancement,” the old man said, flexing his solid arm.
“Though it happened late in life, heh.”
At that moment, a sharp male voice echoed from inside.
“Okay, we’re starting. Please enter slowly.”
“It’s starting. Good luck, lad.”
Before walking in, the old man gave the Heavenly Demon’s arm a friendly pat — like a comrade.
The Heavenly Demon found himself nodding unconsciously.
They followed the long line through a narrow hallway, lined on both sides with large machines.
As each person passed through, the machine flashed and a cold, mechanical woman’s voice rang out:
[Physical Awakening Rate: 39%]
“Ah, explosive-type skill. Please proceed to the explosion-skill testing room at the end of the second-floor corridor.”
[Physical Awakening Rate: 33%]
“No skill detected. Please go to the Physical Ability Test Room on the third floor.”
[Physical Awakening Rate: 11%]
“Oh? That’s quite low. Is your ability mental-type, perhaps?”
The man operating the machine asked questions and assigned each person to their area according to the screen’s readings.
Finally, the old man ahead of the Heavenly Demon stepped forward.
[Physical Awakening Rate: 3%]
The old man’s face turned ashen.
“Three percent?”
“I’m sorry, sir. Less than ten percent awakening can’t be tested. Please return home.”
“Can’t I at least try the test once?”
“Regrettably, no. Under ten percent can’t participate — it’s too dangerous.”
“But I did awaken! Look at me! How many seventy-year-olds have a body like this?”
He flexed desperately, but the man shook his head.
“Even if you had an A-grade skill, under ten percent physical awakening means you can’t enter a dungeon. Too many died relying on skill alone.”
The old man clenched his teeth.
After a life of poverty, he had finally tasted hope.
His body had strengthened, and he could now lift heavy objects — even cars.
No… I must become an Awakened.
His fists trembled as his vision blurred.
He had a granddaughter — the daughter of his deceased son — left in his care.
Always smiling, always bright, despite their hardships.
He remembered that morning.
He’d held her tiny hand, saying cheerfully, “After today, Grandpa will become an Awakened! I’ll buy you lots of treats.”
But she had pouted and shaken her head.
“I don’t like it.”
“Why not? If I become one, I can earn lots of money in dungeons!”
Her big eyes blinked, and she said softly, “I don’t want you to get hurt. I like you the way you are.”
The old man’s heart had shaken.
Her worn shoes, the frayed socks, the small cuts on her legs — and yet she never complained.
He’d promised himself he would awaken, no matter the cost, to give her a better life.
But now…
“Sir, excuse me,” the staff’s voice broke his reverie.
“Huh?”
“You’ll need to step aside so the next person can test.”
“Ah… yes.”
He lowered his head.
“I thought I could at least be a grade nine… but I can’t even qualify.”
He hadn’t dreamed of glory — only of being a porter in dungeon zones, enough to earn a decent living.
“Please,” he pleaded softly. “Could you check again? Maybe the machine’s wrong. I’ve never used my full strength before.”
“I’m sorry, sir. Once recorded, it can’t be redone unless there’s a malfunction.”
“Hmm.”
The man bowed politely, and the old man smiled faintly.
“No, no, it’s my fault for dreaming too big.”
As he turned to leave, he saw the Heavenly Demon’s massive frame.
“Now that’s what an Awakened body looks like,” he murmured. “Good luck, young man.”
“Next, please step through.”
The Heavenly Demon walked forward and passed through the machine.
[Physical Awakening Rate: 1200%]
“What?”
Everyone froze.
“Uh, sir, could you go through again?”
He did.
[Physical Awakening Rate: 1400%]
“…Is this thing broken?”
The operator stared at the screen, blinking rapidly.
The figure outline on the display glowed entirely red — far beyond the maximum scale.
Even top-tier class-one Awakened rarely reached 200%.
With strength skills, maybe 300%.
“This must be malfunctioning. Please head to the Physical Strength Testing Room on the third floor — they can confirm it.”
The Heavenly Demon pointed to the old man.
“If it’s broken, that elder should be retested too.”
“Huh? Oh… I suppose so.”
The operator hesitated, then nodded.
“Sir, please head up too. You can get retested there.”
“Th-thank you!”
The old man’s face lit up as he raised both hands in joy.
Third Floor – Physical Strength Testing Room
The large chamber was sealed on all sides with gray cement walls, floor, and ceiling.
In the center stood a glossy black metal sphere — the measuring device.
Inside a glass-walled control booth sat several machines and a young woman in a white lab coat.
“Excuse me,” the old man called out.
She came out smiling, holding a tablet. “Ah, sorry for the wait. Here to test?”
“Yes.”
“Simple — lift that sphere with both hands. You can use pure strength or a strength-type skill if you have one.”
As she tapped her tablet, the sphere glowed faintly.
“If your skill isn’t strength-related, please don’t use it, or it’ll register incorrectly.”
“Understood.”
The old man rolled up his sleeves and glanced at the Heavenly Demon.
“Shall I go first?”
When he nodded, the old man grinned. “Alright then.”
He grabbed the sphere and strained.
“Grrrraaaah!”
The device beeped — then quickly dropped in pitch.
“Done,” the woman said flatly.
“How’d I do?”
Her face twisted awkwardly.
“About 90 kg per arm — 3%. Same as before.”
The old man lowered his head. “As expected…”
“No, it is different.”
The Heavenly Demon’s calm voice made them both look up.
“You do not know how to use your strength. To draw out true power, one must first align body and spirit.”
“Huh? What does that mean?”
The old man was too flustered to even notice the younger man’s informal tone.
“It means you must prepare your body to reach its peak.”
The Heavenly Demon focused his inner energy. Though he only had ten years’ worth of qi that the Shrine God had infused into him, it was enough to create mild illusions.
“What you see may not be pleasant.”
And then—
“Grandpa! Grandpa!”
In the old man’s eyes, the black metal sphere was suddenly engulfed in flames — and beneath it, his granddaughter was trapped.
“It hurts! It’s so hot!”
“W-wait!”
Without thinking, the old man grabbed the burning sphere.
His skin sizzled, flesh melting from his arms.
“Ughhh!”
Through blinding pain, he lifted with all his strength.
“I-it hurts, Grandpa!”
“Uaaahhhh!”
Driven by sheer desperation, the old man burned everything — body and soul — to lift it.
“I won’t lose you too! Never again!”
“Grandpa!”
Crack!
His bones and muscles swelled monstrously.
He raised the flaming sphere high — and suddenly the vision vanished.
“Huh? What… what happened?”
He blinked in confusion.
The woman looked at her screen, voice trembling.
“Six hundred fifty kilograms per arm… Physical Awakening Rate: 39%.”
“Thirty-nine? Me?”
“Yes! Do you have a strength-type skill?”
“No… none at all.”
“Then your body awakened with strength enhancement! That qualifies you as a grade-eight Awakened.”
“R-really?”
He turned to the Heavenly Demon, tears in his eyes. “You heard that, right? I’m an eight!”
“I heard.”
“Please take this to the first floor for your registration card,” said the woman, handing him the form.
“T-thank you!”
“You’re welcome.”
He turned to thank the Heavenly Demon — but the man had already walked past him.
“If you’re done, go now, old man.”
“Huh? Ah… right.”
The old man raised his hand as he left. “G-good luck!”
“Next, please,” the woman said.
“Very well.”
The Heavenly Demon grinned and grabbed the sphere with both hands.
He’d been curious to test the physical power of his body without using inner qi.
“Let’s begin.”
As his fingers tightened—
Crack…
The cement floor beneath the device started to split.
The woman’s screen flashed red and began blaring warning beeps.
And just as the Heavenly Demon’s eyes flared crimson—
“STOP!”
Jang Chaewon burst through the door.
“Are you insane?! Put that down right now!”
Her voice snapped through the room. The Heavenly Demon obediently set the sphere down.
“You’re late, shopkeeper.”
“Quiet! Why are you taking an Awakened test here?!”
“Awakened test?” he repeated blankly.
“The woman at the other place told me to come here. Said I was late.”
Only then did Jang Chaewon realize what had happened — the civil worker at the health center, terrified by his monstrous appearance, must have sent him here by mistake.
“This isn’t the place! Let’s go!”
She grabbed his arm, bowing quickly to the researcher.
“Sorry for the trouble, just a mix-up, haha!”
As the two hurried away, the researcher blinked, then looked back at her monitor.
On it, the number 3,000% flashed in blood-red light.
“…Hmm.”
Taking a deep breath, she muttered, shaking her head,
“Must be broken.”
