Chapter : 60
“Checking the artifact? Are we even allowed to do this?”
As the saying goes, only those who have eaten meat know how to eat it—similarly, the members of Uncle Joe Company had a superstitious fear of artifacts. Considering the rumored prices, it was understandable that they were hesitant to touch them.
“Our rights are with us, so of course we can check it. No one’s going to blame us if it gets damaged.”
“What are you talking about!”
“The government only cares that the reports are submitted on time. Now, anyone want to pick it up?”
“…….”
In reality, artifacts were usually tested with extreme caution. Government labs or private companies typically conducted their own inspections to prepare for any contingencies.
But Suhyun skipped that whole process. Most artifacts weren’t dangerous if left unchecked, and this one was already familiar to him.
“So, what will you do after checking it?”
“After checking? Whoever it fits best should use it. We’re not in a position to sell it for money. I’m the only psychic here. The Kakrita Valley is easy if you know how, but you can’t just coast in other places.”
“Fine! I’ll do it!”
“Bold choice. Grab it.”
Kim Chang-sik raised his hand. Swallowing once, he walked confidently forward and reached into the case.
“What happens if I grab this…?”
“Usually, you just get an instinctive sense of how to use an artifact. Go ahead.”
The Lightning Axe sent a jolt of electricity through the user the moment it was touched. Other than that, there was nothing to worry about. The current only triggered traps within the room, not outside.
“Hah!”
“…You don’t have to scream to grab it.”
Kim Chang-sik lifted the handle of the Lightning Axe from the case—and collapsed forward.
“?!”
Suhyun rushed over, alarmed. The other members, who had been watching passively, jumped in surprise.
“What happened?”
“No, this is…”
Suhyun immediately checked Kim Chang-sik’s condition. Fortunately, he was perfectly fine.
‘Did he faint from the electricity? No, there’s no way that would knock him out…’
Suhyun quickly took the Lightning Axe from his hand and focused. Almost as if he had an extra hand, he instinctively understood how to handle the axe.
“Hup!”
Like using his psychic ability, electricity shot from the blade. The bolts struck their target and vanished with a crackle.
“Ah!”
“Is that the artifact’s power?”
“Seems like it. Lightning-type psychic ability. Quite useful.”
Suhyun swung the axe lightly. Lightning powers were always versatile and reliable.
“But why did Chang-sik collapse?”
“That, I don’t know… his condition seems fine.”
He double-checked the artifact, but there was nothing unusual. It was exactly the artifact Suhyun knew.
Healthy people didn’t just collapse like that. Suhyun debated whether to take him to a hospital. Even though he seemed fine, if he kept fainting like this…
“Gah!”
Kim Chang-sik suddenly woke up with a scream. Realizing he was lying on the sofa, he panicked and looked around.
“What happened?!”
“That’s what we’d like to know. Why did you collapse all of a sudden?”
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah… my body’s fine, but…”
“?”
“I think… I’ve become a psychic.”
“?!?!?!?”
Psychic abilities were still under active research, but a few facts were generally known. One of them was awakening.
The conditions were vague, but once awakened, a person would instinctively realize their own abilities. It was extremely rare for someone to awaken and not notice their powers.
One psychic described it as “feeling like a new, invisible arm has been added.” Suhyun considered that a very accurate description. It just took time and effort to master, but the realization was almost instinctive.
“Everyone, try picking it up.”
Suhyun was the most surprised. Sudden collapse was a known symptom of awakening. Moreover, Kim Chang-sik wouldn’t joke in such a situation, so it was clear he had awakened.
‘Was it the electricity?’
The conditions for becoming a psychic were unpredictable, but he never imagined that touching that axe could trigger awakening. He had others try it too, but none reacted.
“Can you use your power?”
“Now? …Yes, I think I can!”
It was sudden, but Suhyun had already suspected that someone in the team might awaken. He just hadn’t expected it to happen so quickly. He nodded.
“Good. Let’s go outside and test it.”
“Can someone really awaken like that?”
“Don’t ask me. Chang-sik just… picked up the axe first…”
Jung Sung-jae and Kim Dong-wook grumbled, but Kim Chang-sik snorted.
“Jealous, huh? Huh, kids?”
“Jealous?! Nonsense!”
“You don’t even know what power it is yet!”
“Ha. Just being a psychic is already a big deal. You have to live right to get lucky like this.”
After awakening, Kim Chang-sik felt something itching inside his body. It was a sensation that suggested something would happen if he let it out. It could only be psychic power.
“Damn… why him? If it were Senior Suyong or Lee So-hee, fine…”
“Quiet. Check it first, talk later. You’ll have plenty of time to chatter.”
Suhyun thought for a moment. Whoever would use the Lightning Axe was already decided. For non-psychics, using an artifact like this drained too much energy.
“Do you want to use it? Go ahead.”
“Don’t shoot at people. Try activating it in the opposite direction. Can you tell what it does yet?”
“Feels like… it bursts out… like that!”
Dealing with inexperienced psychics was routine for Suhyun. He sighed and patiently instructed.
“Don’t rush. At first, just feel like you’re moving your arm.”
“Kyaaaah!”
From Kim Chang-sik’s fingertips, flames erupted as if from a flamethrower. The team watched in awe as waves of fire soared into the air.
They weren’t experts, but even by their standards, this was a top-tier psychic ability.
“Unbelievable…!”
“Whoa…!”
“Hahaha! Hahaha!”
Kim Chang-sik laughed with joy, swinging streams of fire into the air. Suhyun noticed something off.
‘Flame projection… from the hand, not at range… wait, something’s wrong.’
The flames looked extremely powerful. But even considering that, the ability seemed too strong.
“Too much power.”
“What? Isn’t that good?”
“If it’s powerful, it should drain energy faster. Look at his expression.”
Kim Chang-sik didn’t seem fatigued at all. Suhyun snapped his fingers to call him over.
“Stop for a moment. How’s your stamina? Feeling tired?”
“Not at all?”
He looked confused. Suhyun instructed him to fire downward this time.
Fwoosh!
The flames surged again. Suhyun shook his head, realizing the truth.
“What… are you doing?!”
The team panicked when Suhyun put his hand in the fire. But nothing happened. There was no heat. Suhyun sighed.
“Fake. There’s no actual heat.”
“Eh?!”
“Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to fire like that without burning himself.”
There was no such thing as identical psychic powers—some were visually impressive but had no real force.
Kim Chang-sik’s expression shifted oddly.
“Fake flames…?”
“The visual effect is strong, but no actual power. Really flashy.”
“Pahahaha! Fake, fake flames!”
“Are you laughing right now?!”
“Just being a psychic counts for a lot! But fake flames…!”
The other members laughed at Kim Chang-sik’s expression.
“Disappointing, but not useless. Any psychic is worth having.”
“Y-yeah?”
“The Lightning Axe will probably be used by Kim Chang-sik. Non-psychics get exhausted using it…”
Though it was flashy but weak, he was still a psychic. That alone was enough.
“Fake flames… this is going to be tricky. First, report that Kim Chang-sik is a psychic. Don’t specify the exact power. Keep it quiet—if anyone hears he uses fake flames, everyone is accountable.”
“……”
“Don’t sulk. Complicated powers still have situations where they’re useful.”
“Even something like this?”
“Probably not.”
“You bastard…”
“Stop joking. Even this kind of power will have a use. Practice handling it. Not tiring from use is actually an advantage.”
Kim Chang-sik sighed deeply. The excitement had sunk. Suhyun’s words felt more like consolation.
He had healing powers anywhere, but Kim Chang-sik couldn’t even harm an ant with his fake flames.
‘There was someone like this before…’
Suhyun chuckled at the memory. Perhaps Kim Chang-sik could still use it effectively in the right situation.
After checking the artifact and Kim Chang-sik’s condition, the team dispersed. They didn’t plan to stay at the same hotel.
Suhyun took the Lightning Axe. The others insisted they’d rather hang themselves than store it.
‘Maybe the government should handle storage.’
Large mercenary companies often hid artifacts for self-management. Suhyun couldn’t do that since he was coordinating with the government.
Leaving it with the government was actually safer—more secure and accountable if anything happened.
Still, Suhyun kept it. The Lightning Axe wasn’t interesting, but he had experiments in mind.
“Now… what are you?”
He murmured as he lifted a transparent orb. Something instinctively told him not to reveal it.
It was not ordinary. When he channeled energy into it like an artifact, it absorbed power—but nothing happened afterward.
“Hmm…”
He tried combining it with the Lightning Axe, but still nothing. Unconsciously, Suhyun lightly activated the axe. Blue sparks jumped from it.
Crack!
A spark destroyed a lamp ornament—he’d misjudged the energy. Experimenting psychic powers indoors was foolish.
At the same time, there was a knock at the door.
