Chapter 212
Those fat cats in the executive office are too slow to handle this kind of situation.
Galiaz sounded casual, but Celestina, who had known him for a long time, knew how serious he was.
She felt the same way as him.
The central office suddenly raised the evaluation of Earth by two levels?
There must be something going on.
Boss, do you think this has something to do with the Foundation?
I dont have any solid evidence, but it seems likely.
Then this is no joke.
Genesis Foundation.
They mentioned the Foundation, but even the two Tellers in this room didnt know much about its true identity.
All they knew was that the Foundation built the Genesis System and spread it widely in the Hybrid Realm, and that even the Great Constellations couldnt mess with it.
And also, that Celestial Corporation. was somewhat influenced by the Foundation.
The Foundation was a huge group with immense power, but even they, who had reached the director level, had never seen its true face.
Maybe Earth really has some amazing potential and thats why theyre interested.
Actually, this topic had been brought up occasionally before.
Earth had been a fertile land that received countless story seeds from various Constellations since its Material Realm days.
In fact, throughout its long human history, Earth had seen many different civilizations and stories bloom.
But Earth gradually faded from everyones attention because of the complacent attitude of its inhabitants.
No matter how fresh the ingredients were, they couldnt satisfy the taste buds of the Spirits if they werent used well.
Earth was forgotten by the Spirits like that.
The evaluation of Earth changed after a Teller appeared.
Teller Kang Yu-hyun.
The Spirits started to pay attention to Earth again because of the genius who appeared like a comet.
I cant believe that one person changed everything.
Well, looking at the results, its certainly impressive. Boss, what do you think his identity is?
I dont know either. We dont even know much about our own origin, let alone others.
He became the youngest manager ever. Hes not kidding around. He can easily reach the director level. But that also means hes more likely to face danger. He attracted too many eyes this time.
Celestina knew how cruel and fierce Celestial Corporation. was.
She had gone through so many things to become one of the pillars of the Eight Branches that she could write a book taller than her height.
In such a place, Yu-hyun had already made a name for himself as a flower that grew through solid concrete.
He bloomed beautifully, but he couldnt relax yet.
Especially since Yu-hyun didnt have his own faction or even a place to belong to yet.
Hell need some help soon.
Youve been thinking about that too? Thats actually why I called you here.
It wasnt intentional, but they had become close enough to not let go of Yu-hyun easily.
Even if they denied it, anyone around them would think that Yu-hyun was on their side.
But they couldnt just push him away either.
Theyd rather extend their hand and embrace him.
Well, not that hes someone who would easily accept that.
Celestina gave a bitter smile.
She felt it instinctively. Yoo Hyun was too big for her to handle. He was still growing, and she wondered what he would become in the future.
She even thought that it would be better to establish an equal partnership with him in advance, considering the future.
Celestina pushed the data back to Galliats.
Lets stop talking about him for now. You must have another purpose for telling me this, right? I know everything.
Yes. Youre quick-witted, so you must know what Im trying to say.
Hmm. Then, is it that?
Celestina crossed her legs and leaned back on her chair.
The earth had a huge gap after the incident caused by Shamath. Many of the pentagram department, along with a senior manager, had gone through personnel adjustments.
And the value of the earth had risen as well, making it a tempting fruit hanging in the air.
Should our department also try to get a spoonful of the earth?
If theres a chance, its now or never. If not now, when the pentagram, which used to take the biggest pie, has faltered and left a big gap, it will be hard to squeeze in later when theres no room.
The other departments must be already preparing, right?
Unless their managers got their positions by gambling.
Sigh.
Celestina felt a headache.
She hadnt had such a headache in the last 100 years, except for the countless checks from other tellers when she was about to become a manager.
The big incidents that happened one after another after Shamaths deed made her sick of them.
One great army disobeyed the foundation, and on top of that, Celestial Corporation got involved.
They arrested one senior manager to cover it up, and a new senior manager was born.
And even the internal structure of the company and the foundations evaluation that changed around the earth.
It smelled like an incident.
A very big incident.
Damn. But I have to do it, right? Im not a fool, and I cant ignore such a well-prepared table.
She was also a teller of Celestial Corporation.
If there was a profitable market, it was basic common sense to focus on attacking it.
So Celestina. What do you think the earth will be like in the future, from your perspective as an active teller?
Master. Youre not really asking me because you dont know, right?
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Ive been out of this business for quite a long time, so I might not know.
Excuses. If they raised the evaluation by two levels this time, and the foundation did that much then maybe the earth will undergo a huge change.
How much?
If the power of the existing hybrid system worked only 10%, then maybe it will rise to 40~50% with this?
At least 40%.
And that would be another great change for the earth that had experienced the day of integration.
***
The final exam site of Collector Academy.
Seo Soo-min scanned his opponent who made it to the finals with an interesting look.
She was a girl who tied her lemon-colored hair that reached her back into a ponytail.
Her blue eyes were full of determination, and her pursed lips gave an impression that she was very strong.
A foreign student from Russia, Larina Levgenyeva?
He remembered that she showed a very interesting fighting style.
A martial artist who fights with bare fists without any weapons.
Larinas way of fighting when she fought Kim Joo-hyuk was literally optimized for hand-to-hand combat.
Along with incredible speed attacks using her arms and legs, she also used submissions to twist her opponents joints and exploit their weaknesses. She even knew how to deflect attacks with judo.
Larina was a genius who had mastered all kinds of modern martial arts at that young age.
Its fun.
When Seo Sumin smiled like that, Larina watched him nervously with a heavy gaze.
Seo Sumin was a formidable opponent that she couldnt afford to underestimate. She could tell from the way he knocked down Gu Seoyun just a moment ago. Even with her excellent dynamic vision, she couldnt catch his swing of the baseball bat.
Logically, he was someone she should avoid at all costs.
But I want to fight him.
In the final match that she couldnt back down from, Larinas fighting spirit burned fiercely.
She felt a competitive urge that she had never experienced before.
He was her age, but stronger than anyone else in this place. How much hard work did he put in to become stronger?
She didnt care if it wasnt the result of his effort.
If it was talent, then she wanted to feel that advantage.
Larina clenched her fists with gloves on and took her stance.
My name. Larina Levgenyeva. Your name?
Seo Sumin.
Seo Sumin. Okay, nice to meet you.
Larina spoke in awkward Korean. Seo Sumin nodded and tossed his bat aside.
She frowned at his gesture.
What are you doing?
I dont think its fair to use a weapon against someone whos serious.
Seo Sumin said that and took his stance.
His arms raised in front of him, one leg behind him.
Larina was about to scold him for joking around, but she closed her mouth when she saw his posture.
Ill go with bare hands too.
Larina knew that Seo Sumin was sincere. Otherwise, she wouldnt feel such a suffocating pressure from him.
A sense of hopelessness that no matter where she attacked or where she stabbed, she would never reach him.
Larina twisted her lips into a smile.
This is awesome!
Seo Sumin seemed to read her intention and snapped his fingers. Larina didnt mind that.
The duel had already begun. Larina kicked the ground and ran towards Seo Sumin.
Faster and more agile than any student she had fought before. She was as fast as a cheetah running at full speed. In an instant, she reached Seo Sumins nose and threw a punch.
Bang!
Her right hand whipped out and then struck like a snake biting its prey. She aimed for Seo Sumins jaw.
The hook she threw at the beginning was a fake.
The real one was right now.
Swoosh.
Missed!
Seo Sumin dodged Larinas blow by tilting his head back slightly.
It was a natural evasion, as if he knew it from the start.
Larina didnt regret it.
If he couldnt dodge this, she would have been disappointed instead.
Her left arm swung up from below and aimed for Seo Sumins chin. 𝓃օ𝑣𝖊𝑙𝖇i𝐧.𝔫𝘦𝒕
An uppercut that penetrated his defense.
Her fist broke the air again.
But Seo Sumins right hand easily blocked Larinas left fist.
Squeak!
Larina, whose left arm was caught, lifted her right leg and kicked towards Seo Sumins head with a high kick.
Seo Sumins left hand moved softly, lightly touching Larinas right ankle.
Larina felt her foot being pulled by a strange force as she kicked.
Whoosh!
Her kicks trajectory curved oddly, barely missing Seo Sumin.
To anyone else, it would have looked like her high kick had gone through Seo Sumin.
But Larina knew.
Her attack did not touch Seo Sumin at all.
Seo Sumin had deflected Larinas kick with such ease that it seemed natural, like water flowing.
Larina did not stop attacking.
She spun her body around her right foot that was planted on the ground, and launched a roundhouse kick with her left foot.
Larinas toes aimed for Seo Sumins vital point.
First kickboxing, now taekwondo?
Seo Sumin dodged Larinas kick again, then closed the distance and hooked her leg around Larinas, tripping her over. Larina, losing her balance, reached out with both hands and grabbed the hem of Seo Sumins jacket.
Got you!
She was about to go for a chokehold using grappling techniques when Seo Sumin jabbed her thumbs into Larinas wrists.
Zing!
Larina felt as if she had been bewitched, her hands losing their strength.
She used the momentum of falling to roll backwards and create some distance from Seo Sumin.
She got up quickly and asked with wide eyes.
How did you do that?
Trade secret.
Her tone was playful, but the skill she had just used was profound.
She had barely touched her wrist with her finger, but it felt like she had tortured her arm for a long time, making her muscles unable to exert any force.
Larina rubbed her arms alternately, then resumed her stance.
To her, Seo Sumin was like a living ghost.
She dodged or deflected any attack. She had never faced such an opponent before.
Squeak.
Thats why she was having fun.
The fact that there were still mysteries of martial arts that she did not know in this world, the fact that she had found a wall that she had to face and overcome in this gap between boring people.
Im glad I came.
Larina took a deep breath and adopted a different posture.
She raised both arms to guard her head, while extending one leg slightly forward to be ready to strike at any weakness of her opponent.
Seo Sumin recognized what kind of posture it was in an instant.
This time its muay thai?
She was enjoying this duel too.
In the case of Lee Pyeongwon, he was not worth fighting at all, and in the case of Gu Seoyun, he was somewhat fun, but that was it.
This was the first time she had clashed purely with martial arts built on physical strength.
Come on. Let me show you what true martial arts are.
As if she had read her mind, Larina nodded and charged at Seo Sumin.
***
The winner of the fight was obviously Seo Sumin.
However, unlike the previous overwhelming fights, this final match made the spectators spontaneously applaud.
A duel where they competed purely with their own skills without any skills or traits.
Anyone who was not captivated by it must have been a cold-blooded person with a dry heart.
Clap clap clap clap!
Amidst the cheers celebrating her victory, Seo Sumin received awe and envy from the crowd as she stepped down from the arena.
She had secured the title of the absolute first place among the academy entrants with this.
Yu-hyun, who was waiting for her below, praised her for her hard work.
So, how do you feel now?
I just did what I was supposed to do. But it was a little fun.
As soon as the fight ended, some clan representatives tried to approach Seo Sumin, but they had to back off when they saw Yu-hyun and Im Gunwoo by her side.
They did not think that Seo Sumin would pay attention to their offers with those two people around.
Ding!
At that moment, everyone who gathered here received a notification window that might have been fates prank.
[The dimension Earth has entered the next stage.]
It was the beginning of an unexpected change.
