Chapter 9
Junhyuk, who had arrived in front of the association before he knew it, registered the skills he copied from Sangjin into his skill deck. Without delay, he stepped into the Seoul branch of the Awakened Association.
Due to the late hour, only about a dozen people were lined up inside the association for Hunter registration. Most were there to register as support abilities, while only a few stood in line for dealer registration. Naturally, there wasn’t a single person registering as a Tanker or Healer—unlike support or dealer types, those who awakened as Tanks or Healers were extremely rare. In any case, this meant Junhyuk didn’t have to wait in line to register as a Tanker, which was convenient.
“I’m here to register as an Awakened.”
When he approached the Tanker-only registration counter, the clerk looked at him with surprise. “Huh? This is the Tanker registration counter... Are you sure you awakened as a Tanker?”
“Yes. I awakened as a Tanker.”
After Junhyuk confirmed again, the clerk quickly got to work. “Oh! You’re the first Tanker Awakened we’ve had in six months! Congratulations! Do you have your ID?”
“Yes, here it is.”
As Junhyuk handed over his ID from his wallet, the clerk hurriedly began processing the paperwork. Meanwhile, those registering as support and dealer types watched Junhyuk with envy.
A short while later, the clerk turned back to Junhyuk. “Your identity verification is complete. I’ve called for someone—they’ll be here shortly. Please have a seat, and when they arrive, follow them for your test.”
“Ah, okay.”
Junhyuk retrieved his ID and sat down in one of the chairs behind him. Soon after, the elevator doors opened, and a lanky middle-aged man in a white coat stepped out. The counter clerk called out:
“Mr. Choi Junhyuk.”
Hearing his name, Junhyuk quickly stood and approached the counter.
“Yes.”
“Please follow this gentleman.”
The clerk gestured to the lanky man. Smiling slightly, Junhyuk extended his hand for a handshake.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Choi Junhyuk.”
The man shook his hand without hesitation and replied warmly: “Ah, yes! Nice to meet you too—it’s been so long since we’ve had a Tanker Awakened that I’m extra happy to see you! Haha. I’m Lim Jihoon. Come along now—I was told to set things up immediately after getting word of your arrival, so we can start your test right away.”
The moment their hands touched—as if waiting for this exact moment—Junhyuk activated his skill:
Copy!
Since this man worked at the association, he wondered if he might be an Awakened himself.
-Copy failed. Target is not an Awakened lifeform and cannot be copied.
Unfortunately, Jihoon was just an ordinary person. Confirming this, Junhyuk promptly ended the handshake and followed him into the elevator.
Pressing the button for B2, Jihoon turned to Junhyuk: “You probably already know this, but the test consists of three stages. The first measures your HP and Force capacity; the second evaluates your aggro rate by having you use your unique active skill Shield Attack; and finally, stage three assesses your tanking ability through simulated combat. Ah! Just so you’re aware—due to examiner selection logistics—the third stage will take place two days from now.”
The first two stages could be done immediately, but arranging Hunters for stage three evaluations took time—not just for Tankers but all combat-type Awakened during registration.
Since this was common knowledge anyway,
Junhyuk nodded: “Yes,” he said simply.
