BUHGT 16

Chapter 16 …

“What are you doing here?”

“I have some connections with Guild Master Lee Hyuk-joon, so I come and go here often. And then your name came up.”

“I see. It’s been a while!”

“Turns out it really was you. I wasn’t sure at first.”

“I had some circumstances. I switched over to being a trainer now.”

Yu-jun smiled and gestured.

“Let’s have a cup of coffee.”

Im Seok-jae’s expression was complex and subtle.
And there was a massive crack visible in him.

Yu-jun seemed to understand why he had approached him.

Yu-jun could tell at first glance.

‘He’s grown just like he did back in youth.’

Im Seok-jae was someone Yu-jun had met when he was in the Promise Guild’s youth program.
Seok-jae had been a youth under the Sky Guild, and Yu-jun had first seen him during an inter-youth exchange.

‘The memory is clear.’

Seok-jae had also been a highly regarded talent back then, just like Yu-jun.
He was considered the top youth of the Sky Guild, and it was expected he would reach at least A-rank once he joined the first team.

‘I was the one who first gave him advice.’

While everyone was praising him, Yu-jun noticed many of Seok-jae’s shortcomings and often gave him guidance.

‘I was a bit meddlesome back then.’

Yu-jun gave a wry smile and carefully observed Seok-jae’s body again.

‘This looks like an A-rank Awakener.’

Being an A-rank Awakener was very high—only five people in the Sky Guild qualified.
The government even issued “free pass” cards to freely climb the Tower, but only A-rank Awakener status qualified one to receive such a card.

‘He reached such a high level in this condition…’

It was remarkable. He had definitely grown properly, but his current physical condition didn’t look good—actually, it looked quite bad.

‘He’s just pretending to be okay.’

The many visible cracks all over his body proved that.
Some of the cracks were even darker than on others, making his body look almost split in two.

“Have you been well?”

“I’ve been fine. How about you?”

“You know my situation without me saying, right?”

Seok-jae gave a slightly embarrassed expression at Yu-jun’s words.

“Don’t worry. I’ve fully transitioned now. I’ve refocused myself. So, why are you here?”

“Well…”

Seok-jae explained his situation.

“So, I’m currently in the Lightning Guild.”

“Lightning Guild? Weren’t you part of Sky Guild’s youth?”

“I transferred due to circumstances.”

The Lightning Guild was quite unusual.
While most top-tier guilds focused on having large numbers of members, Lightning Guild ran strictly as a small elite group.

“They don’t accept anyone below mid-tier Awakener. So, moving there as an A-rank….”

It meant he had enormous potential to reach top-tier A-rank.

“That’s true… but why did you ask earlier if my heart was okay?”

Seok-jae couldn’t stop thinking about it.

‘Because the cracks in your body looked severe.’

Yu-jun furrowed his brow and focused on Seok-jae’s chest area.
From a large crack near the heart, fissures ran throughout his body as if split in half.

“You didn’t look well.”

Yu-jun answered simply.

“….”

Seok-jae sighed deeply, thinking Yu-jun had already figured him out, and spoke.

“Actually, I just saw your training skills. Incredible. You can train a first-team Awakener in ten minutes. And… thanks to your advice, I broke through a wall back then.”

“Of course I remember.”

The memory was vivid for Yu-jun too—it had been the first time his advice had drastically changed someone.

“The thing is, I’m stuck at a wall now. I joined Lightning Guild, but I’ve hit my limit.”

Seok-jae looked frustrated.

“And you were right—my heart isn’t good. Mana circulation isn’t working properly. So… could you train me?”

“You want personal training?”

“Yes. I heard you’re a freelance trainer now, not tied to a contract?”

Even ignoring connections, training an A-rank Awakener personally was a very lucrative opportunity.

‘It’ll enrich my career. I can also improve the Awakener training system.’

This could also connect him to the Lightning Guild, which ranked much higher than the Sky Guild.
But there was an even more important reason:

‘I want to test it.’

Yu-jun’s previous training session with Kim Oh-jung had been similar to what he usually did, but it hadn’t been enough to gauge his current skill objectively.

‘But A-rank Awakener is different.’

Would his training even work on such a person?

‘I can see what’s lacking and by how much.’

Yu-jun remained silent for a moment. Seok-jae spoke first.

“Don’t worry about money. I’ll pay you the best I can.”

Seok-jae was that desperate.
2,000 per month. Not a typical sum for a new trainer.
Yu-jun nodded immediately at the generous offer.

“Alright. Let’s do it—draw up the contract.”

“Ha, unbelievable. Kang Yu-jun? A rookie trainer? Does he really think he can fix what I couldn’t? A guy who couldn’t awaken and ran away as a trainer? Tch!”

Back at the Lightning Guild office, Seok-jae called the trainer immediately to inform him he’d be working with the new trainer.
The reaction, of course, was harsh.
Idong-jae, the personal trainer assigned by the Lightning Guild, turned red with anger.

“I’m filing an official complaint about this!”
“I apologize.”

Seok-jae bowed. He understood Idong-jae’s anger and doubts.
Kang Yu-jun had given advice long ago with sharp insight. Since then, many things had happened—Yu-jun had failed to awaken and transitioned to being a trainer.

“Ha… why is this happening?” Idong-jae muttered.

“I saw a spark.”

But Seok-jae trusted his instincts.
The flash he had seen in the training hall—that was the old Kang Yu-jun.
The spark that had once turned his life around.
It matched the memory from his youth, so he had no choice but to believe it.

He was at a crossroads now—every moment felt like walking on a sharp blade.
Slip even slightly, and he might never climb this high again.
Would he end as A-rank, or rise beyond?
He needed training unlike anything he had experienced before.

“Don’t regret it!”

Idong-jae left gruffly. Seok-jae headed to the Lightning Guild training grounds.

“Here?”

Kang Yu-jun was waiting there.

“Lightning Guild seems to have high expectations for you.”
“They invested heavily.”
“I see.”

Yu-jun first scanned Seok-jae using an Awakener scan.

[Im Seok-jae] Overall grade: ?
Body: [A]
Mind: [A]
Stats: [Strength ?/?] [Stamina ?/?] [Agility ?/?]
Awakening ability: Super strength
Potential: ?
Special notes: ?

This time, much was hidden from the scan.

‘Not easy. Being an A-rank Awakener, the scan doesn’t work well.’

But Yu-jun had expected this.

‘I’ll train based on what I can see and what I know.’

He handed Seok-jae a VR device.

“Let’s act as if it’s real combat.”

‘Back then too, the direction was off.’

Yu-jun checked Seok-jae’s information on a smart pad.

‘He grew as I advised him in youth, but…’

Yu-jun had told him not to get lost in raw strength alone, but to control it.
Seok-jae had grown rapidly after that advice, eventually transferring to another guild due to his progress.

‘Now he’s too focused on strength control.’

Same as before.

‘Just like Kim Oh-jung.’

Kim Oh-jung, unable to use full strength due to injury, was in a similar situation.
Perhaps Yu-jun’s advice had inadvertently trapped Seok-jae too. That was fine.

‘Let’s unravel it completely. I’ll give proper AS support.’

“Seok-jae, from now on, stop controlling your strength.”
“Stop controlling my strength?”
“Yes. You’ve been focusing on that all this time—now give it your all.”

Yu-jun gestured.
Monsters lined the area ahead.
Move forward slightly, and they would attack just like during Sky Guild’s internal evaluation.

“I can’t. I’ve tried many times.”

Seok-jae hesitated.
He couldn’t stop controlling his strength—he could never release an all-out strike.
He had tried hundreds or thousands of times. Even with numerous Lightning Guild trainers, it hadn’t been corrected.

“I even tried hypnosis.”
“Seok-jae.”

Yu-jun tapped his back.

“It doesn’t matter if you can’t. Just try.”

Seok-jae sighed.
Yes—he had to trust him.

“Alright.”

Seok-jae stepped forward.

Shhhhhh—

Super strength activated.

“Kyaaaah—!”

The monsters ahead were large beasts from the 25th floor.
They moved on land, not flying.
Sharp claws, beaks, and petrifying attacks from their eyes.

Seok-jae braced himself and charged.
Standing in the center each time, his role was to deal powerful blows while front-line tanks held attacks—essentially acting as a melee dealer.

But he couldn’t perform that role effectively.
It worked on lower floors.

Hup!

But as floors increased…

Skreeeech—!

“Damn.”

His punches lost effectiveness.
His greatest perceived advantage, fine strength control, was now a liability.
Higher floors required one strong blow rather than delicate control.
Tanks only had limited time to hold—monsters had to be defeated before they broke.
Seok-jae’s restrained attacks did not deal sufficient damage.

Even now, after being told to go all-out…

Skreeeech—!

Yu-jun acted.

“Relax, and let your power flow naturally.”

– Language Correction activated!

Yu-jun tapped Seok-jae’s shoulder with his staff.
Seok-jae leaned forward—but correction wasn’t complete.

‘A first-team Awakener is no joke.’

Years of carving and polishing a masterpiece—now Yu-jun had to reshape it himself.
It required a different method than with youths.

‘I need to observe more closely.’

And correct him more powerfully.
Yu-jun opened his eyes wide and stared intently.

– Awakener scan ability enhanced!
– Can see more!
– Skill level increased!

Yu-jun’s mind raced.