MMTL CHAPTER 10

Episode 10

“Really? That’s great.”

Not only had her headache disappeared, but the energy that had been blocked due to the penalty was now flowing vigorously.

She felt so good, it seemed like she could fly. Song-i shook her head, trying to clear the lingering dizziness.

“This isn’t something we can just brush off. Since when could people be tamed?”

“Who knows? I don’t even know myself. I just suddenly felt like I could do it.”

“Suddenly? Does that even make sense?”

Awakened individuals could gain new skills depending on their proficiency, but their grade still set a clear limit.

It’s like a weak telekinetic who could barely lift a baseball suddenly moving a boulder the size of a house overnight.

What had changed with Morae went beyond just one level.

Of course, there were rare cases where an awakened person exhibited powers beyond their recorded grade—usually because their original assessment had been incorrect.

Song-i spoke seriously.

“How could you suddenly get that kind of power?”

“When you think about it, it’s not much different from taming an animal. It’s not like I completely trained you and turned you into a familiar—I just lightly touched a part of your wave.”

“So you’re saying you used just a tiny bit of power, and my whole body suddenly feels light enough to fly? Isn’t that an even bigger deal?”

“There you go exaggerating again.”

“I’m not exaggerating! This is the first time you’ve tamed a person, right?”

“Well, yeah. I’ve never tried it on a person before. I didn’t even know it was possible.”

Song-i thumped her chest in frustration, but Morae was just delighted. Smiling, she leaned her head on Song-i’s shoulder.

“But it’s still nice. From now on, whenever you get a headache, I can take the pain away. Right?”

“Stop saying carefree stuff like that. Don’t you think you need to get your grade re-evaluated?”

“Come on, really?”

Just as Morae laughed it off, someone knocked on the door.

“Who is it?”

Standing on the rooftop railing, Morae called out, and the man in front of the gate looked up.

“Ms. Kang Morae?”

“Yes, that’s me. What is this about…?”

“A registered delivery from the Ability Bureau. Please come down and sign for it.”

“The Ability Bureau?”

Can registered mail even be delivered at night?

Morae quickly ran down and received the envelope. As she tore it open and came back up to the rooftop, Song-i asked,

“What is it?”

“Uh…”

Morae opened the document and held it out to Song-i.

“They’re asking me to re-evaluate my grade?”

---

*

The Ability Bureau’s grading center was packed with people from early morning.

“Kang Morae, your re-evaluation has been registered. We’ll call you via device when it’s your turn. Please make sure to respond, or you may miss your chance for today.”

“Okay.”

Morae gave the clerk a polite nod and walked off. Pulling her hat lower, she entered the waiting area, and Song-i rushed up to her.

“Morae, are you okay?”

“Why?”

“There are so many people here. Isn’t it overwhelming? Are you breathing okay?”

“Ah…”

Because of trauma from an accident in childhood, she used to suffer from panic attacks, though she had since overcome them.

Even though her heart was pounding and she was sweating a little from being in a crowded place for the first time in a while, it wasn’t unbearable.

Song-i wiped the sweat trickling down Morae’s chin.

“Look at all this sweat.”

“It’s just hot.”

Trying to brush it off, Morae changed the subject.

“There really are a lot of people. Looks like the wait will be long.”

“What number are you?”

“197.”

“Geez, that many?”

Awakened individuals apply for re-evaluation even if they gain just one new skill or slightly improve their proficiency. Even going up a single grade opens up access to many more dungeons.

Even without dungeon access, a higher grade means more request options and double the fee.

So even though people know it’s rare to be regraded, they can’t help but hold onto hope.

As Morae sat in a corner seat, Song-i whispered,

“Something’s suspicious.”

“What is?”

“You got a re-evaluation notice right after your powers changed—like they were waiting for it. What if you’re being watched?”

“Why would they watch an E-rank?”

“……”

It didn’t make sense. The Ability Bureau had no reason to monitor a bottom-tier awakened person.

“It’s just… the timing is too perfect. And if they called you here, they should at least let you skip the line. I don’t like any of this.”

Grumbling under her breath, Song-i grabbed Morae’s shoulder.

“Morae, remember what I said? This is just a grade evaluation.”

“Yeah. I shouldn’t reveal that my taming reduces penalty values.”

“Your taming is way more effective than any stabilizer. That’s why it’s best for you to stay independent and sign one-on-one contracts with high-grade awakened people. You get it, right?”

Being able to replace stabilizers was a very useful ability.

But no one liked being tamed by someone else.

Honestly, who would trust another person enough to entrust their energy wave to them? Especially high-grade awakened ones?

Song-i accepted it only because they were friends. Anyone else would never allow it—they’d rather take a stabilizer injection.

“The only high-grade awakened person I know is you.”

“I’ll take care of everything. You’ll see—by the end of this year, I’ll have you moved out of that rooftop room.”

Morae let out a small laugh and pulled out her vibrating phone.

As she swiped the screen, the fan café she’d visited at dawn—Beautiful, Gyeon—opened automatically.

---

[Members-Only Board] The Real Reason for the Casualties in the Yongin Dungeon…
Posted by: anon

Wasn’t it Gyeonsuho’s fault? Am I right?

↳ “Right. If Gyeon had gone in from the start, no one would’ve died.”
↳ “I heard he bailed during the raid.”
↳ “An awakened person ditching in the middle of a raid? Are you kidding me??”
↳ “Our dog’s lost it lol”
↳ “If you watch the raid video, Hunter Kyeonsuho exited after completing the mission. The victims unfortunately died before he entered the dungeon. Please refrain from baseless slander.”
↳ “Strange how this is an anonymous board, but I can totally guess who posted that…”
↳ “Ma’am, we told you before—this isn’t the place for that.”
↳ “Phew~ Boomer alert.”

---

As each reply rolled in to the carefully written comment she’d posted at dawn, Morae’s phone buzzed with notifications. Her expression turned gloomy as she read the mocking posts.

This wasn’t the first time. For some reason, similar responses always followed her comments.

She handed her phone to Song-i.

“Song-i, does this really sound like something an old boomer would write?”

Glancing unenthusiastically at the comment, Song-i’s expression turned pitying.

“You still haven’t quit that place? Why are you giving yourself stress by reading an anti-fan café?”

“I didn’t know it was an anti-café…”

Beautiful, Gyeon looked like a fan café, but the name was actually short for “Even if he’s beautiful, he’s still a damn dog”—a hidden insult.

She’d found it odd that a supposed fan café had so much hate toward Kyeonsuho.

It didn’t take long to realize the site’s polished exterior was just a cover in case they got sued—but still, she couldn’t bring herself to leave.

Because she felt like someone had to defend Kyeonsuho.

“What are you, a freedom fighter? Doesn’t it hurt to get beat down ten to one?”

“Just tell me what makes this sound like a boomer comment.”

“First off, lose the periods. Who even puts full stops in forum replies?”

“Ah…”

Suddenly, the waiting room grew noisy.

What’s going on? Song-i muttered, looking up just as the doors opened and two men entered.

Without thinking, Song-i grabbed Morae’s wrist.

“M-Morae.”

“Hm?”

“Look over there.”

“Hold on, I’m almost done replying.”

“This is not the time—oh no! They’re coming this way!”

“Who’s coming?”

At Song-i’s insistence, Morae finally looked up—and gasped as she saw who had arrived.

 

“What is Hunter Go San doing in the re-evaluation waiting room?”