Chapter 211
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“Are you trying to reach Enlightenment?”
“I’m not interested in religion. What I see is not the reality of truth, but only the original form of existence, so it just happened by chance that the end point of my realization is similar to the Buddhist end point of Enlightenment.”
She grumbled a response with a sullen expression. Seeing the dissatisfaction on her face, Yongno felt that she wasn’t in attendance of her own accord.
“… The lecture topic has gotten a bit off track. Since it’s come to this, shall I take your questions?”
As Yongno spoke to the audience, which was buzzing after overhearing the two’s seemingly contentious yet underlyingly friendly conversation, a beautiful-looking woman quickly raised her hand. Her eyes twinkled as if she had been waiting to ask Yongno a question.
“Yes, you, over there. What are you curious about?”
Hearing Yongno’s words, the woman responded.
“Uhm, I heard that Mr. Merlin is the strongest Master in DIO. Is this true?”
“That’s incorrect. That title would fall to Arthur or Cruze. However, I cannot deny that I am one of the top users.”
In truth, within the Heaven above the Heavens, Arthur and Merlin were both Level 19. Arthur’s growth, which initially rose at a terrifying pace, had recently gone completely stagnant, virtually stopping to a screeching halt, so Merlin was able to slowly catch up.
A quick look at bit.ly/3iBfjkV will leave you more fulfilled.
In the case of Cruze, she developed the slowest amongst the Heaven above the Heavens, but she maintained a steady pace of growth and development, allowing her to currently reach Level 17.
“According to a survey conducted by Masterpiece, a site specializing in manifest-capable users, even Level 10 users who have just reached Master level are said to have combat power that easily exceed that of a single military division once they manifest. Then, how powerful would a Heaven above the Heavens member be if he or she manifested?”
The Master was an entity, who had appeared seemingly from nowhere amongst ordinary people, that completely overturned the world’s existing power dynamic, especially in terms of military strength. Once a Master manifested, no force on Earth could handle him or her; Masters were powerful enough to even withstand a nuclear bomb attack.
The number of Masters increased significantly as users began to feel a sense of urgency, after being invaded by aliens, but the lead group’s pace of development began to stagnate. Even if users with considerable talent exerted effort, they couldn’t break through the Level 15 wall; only the original Heaven above the Heavens had broken through.
“You can use nearly 100% of the power you exert in DIO through manifestation. However, it’s a pity, but one can’t retain anything once manifestation is over.”
A Master who successfully manifested could utilize all the gear one had in DIO and use 100% of the Master’s in-game abilities. Of course, this meant that Yongno, who was also an enchanter, could make magic items in his manifested state.
However, when the manifestation period was over, [everything] that one brought out from DIO disappeared like a mirage. Not only do the items passed on to others disappear once one’s manifestation was over, but one’s casted spells would also be affected; the spell’s magic would disappear, and the effects of the magic were canceled.
‘Everything probably returns to Dynamic Island.’
It was impossible to use magic in real life unless one was able to utilize special abilities, like Yongno, who could directly circulate energy through his spiritual pathways. Even Yongno, who awakened an understanding of spiritual pathways through his understanding of weightless controlled movement, would have found it impossible to fully utilize spiritual pathways and use mana in reality if it had not been for Mary’s Heavenly Seal, so how could anyone expect others to be able to use spiritual powers in real life without manifestation?
“Then, how powerful are you?”
“I don’t know for certain. Probably about as powerful as a modern aircraft carrier?”
Yongno shrugged his shoulders as he answered the question. However, his answer wasn’t telling the whole truth.
‘I’d probably be able to finish off an aircraft carrier in three minutes.’
This was how much time it would take for Merlin to not only defeat an aircraft carrier, but an entire aircraft carrier squadron, including fighters and escort ships. Merlin, who had the water affinity attribute, could handle such a collective force without breaking a sweat.
“I heard that the Heaven above the Heavens was strong, but for one single person to be able to defeat an aircraft carrier alone…”
“But if it’s the power he showed in the recent video, it might be enough…”
“That’s amazing…”
In awe and shock, the audience members started making a commotion. Among the audience were even a few Master level users, but Yongno’s power was overwhelmingly greater than that of those users.
“If you manifest in the middle of a city, isn’t it possible that you may blow up the entire city?”
“What are you trying to get at?”
When Yongno answered with a question, the woman stared back at him with clear, wide eyes.
She then said, “I’m saying that Masters are too strong to blend in with normal people. Shouldn’t Masters be quarantined and extracted away from the general public?”
This was one of the more sensitive issues circulating around mass media recently. As Masters blocked the attacks of the aliens, the Legion and Grotesque, their fights were being filmed through remote cameras more and more often. Hence, people were able to observe the power output of Masters.
Thus, many soon understood that Masters were no different than a powerful biological weapon; a biological weapon that modern weapons could contend against.
“That makes sense. Some people may feel that our mingling with people in daily life is like fully armed tanks roaming the streets. I understand the sentiment for why some may desire Masters to be isolated, voluntarily or by force, away from society.”
During Yongno’s calm words and response, some audience members stared disappointingly at the woman who posed the question. Some, who seemed to be Yongno’s fervent [fans], even glared at her, but Yongno didn’t seem to be bothered. Yongno continued talking.
“Basically, a Master is a power entity that didn’t exist before, and their very existence disrupts current power structures. There are countries that have properly embraced Masters, but for those countries that haven’t, such as China and some countries in Africa, chaos ensues.”
“Wait. That sounds like a threat to embrace Masters or else, regardless of citizen safety.”
The woman spoke in an aggressive tone, but Yongno didn’t panic and responded confidently.
“Yes.”
“W-what?”
“Phew. I’m sure that what I’m about to say now will be heavily edited without any reference to context, but… but I still have to say it, miss reporter.”
The woman, who was struck by Yongno’s calm words and tone, was taken aback.
“No… wait… it’s not…”
“Let’s talk about the problem first. The most understandable case occurred when a dictatorship, a country with a tendency and history of easily suppressing individuals, tried to suppress their Masters. On the flip side, Tibetan independence was possible because they embraced their Masters.”
Several photos floated behind Yongno. As he talked atop the lectern, he searched and found some information on the Internet, so he started sharing those as supporting material while he spoke.
“As you all know, when Tibet insisted on independence, the Chinese government responded negatively. It was to the extent that the Chinese government raised an army and slaughtered Tibetan monks, perhaps because the Chinese government thought that its perceived control power over its various outer regions and people was weakened due to the serious damage it suffered under the Legion and Grotesque’s persistent attacks. Perhaps in the past, China’s domestic press would have controlled the narrative, as it had done until now, while leaked information would cause global condemnation, and the obvious pattern of the Chinese government ignoring that global condemnation would have repeated, but now… a variable arose that threw off the status quo. As everyone knows, Aung Nina, a female Tibetan monk, is a Level 14 martial arts user. She became the variable.”
And because of that one person, the situation in Tibet took a completely different turn. When the protesting Tibetans were being massacred, the Chinese army was thoroughly smashed by a single Master.
A Level 14 Master was a super strong user that fell within the top 5% of all Master level users. Aung Nina’s Great Tantra Hand strike could not only traverse several hundred meters, but it was also powerful enough to destroy a tank in a single blow, so it was impossible for human armies and modern weapons to contend against her.
Once she manifested, she became a monster that couldn’t be defeated, even if missiles were fired at her.
“At first, the Chinese government, which defined Aung Nina as a mass murderer and terrorist, tried to capture her using other Masters, but they suffered significant blowback. As the Chinese Masters rebelled against the government after Aung Nina’s response, the regime teetered to the brink of collapse. This all occurred because the Chinese government did not negotiate with their Masters, rather, they threatened and coerced them, often holding their family’s hostage; that became a problem.”
The ill feelings the Chinese Masters had towards the Chinese government and its high-ranking officials were great.
Naturally, the high-ranking officials, who themselves couldn’t reach the level of Master, did not like the very existence of Masters, so these officials held the Masters’ families hostage, drugged the Masters, or even went as far as installing bombs in the Masters’ bodies to prevent them from acting out against government orders.
However, once manifested, a Master was free from all restrictions placed on his or her physical body. In an instant, the Master’s body transformed into something superhuman, as it was capable of curing all the addictions and diseases that it was suffering from.
Even a person with a natural disability, that is, a hunchbacked person or a person with no legs, would possess a healthy superhuman body after manifestation. It was like a forced metamorphosis.
Even if a bomb was installed inside one’s body, it must be detonated before a Master manifested; once one manifested, one could easily endure an internal explosion with a smile on one’s face.
Also, regardless of which ability one specialized in, a Master level user could easily remove a foreign substance in one’s body, so it was essentially impossible to control a Master through such crude means.
“As you said, in one part, it also makes sense that Masters should be quarantined away from the general public. However, even that isolation must be achieved through a peaceful agreement. If isolation is achieved through oppression, intimidation, and/or discrimination, it’ll be like someone carrying a ticking time bomb on one’s body. Once a Master manifests, the only thing that can stop a Master is another Master.”
After Yongno spoke, the woman continued her line of argument.
“But some Masters use their power to commit crimes. Are you saying we shouldn’t even try to contain them because we’re not capable?”
“Yes. They cannot be isolated. If you don’t like a specific Master’s disposition, you shouldn’t try to contain him or her.”
Yongno continued speaking with a calm expression.
“You have to kill that Master.”
“…”
The reporter, who was about to argue further, was left speechless. Yongno continued speaking.
“The correct approach is negotiation. If that doesn’t work, then it’s obliteration. Other than that, there are no other options. And fortunately, while suppressing a Master is nearly impossible, killing one is simple. Once they manifest, they are virtually invincible… but once their manifestation period runs out, they are essentially just normal people.”
Because the amount of gem points required for manifestation was remarkably high, it was almost impossible for one to constantly be in a state of manifestation unless one was at a very high level. Unless one was a psychopath or someone who didn’t understand how precious one’s life was, one can’t help but worry about what happens after one’s manifestation period ends.
“Well, I understand your general concern, but punishing someone for something they didn’t even do isn’t right either. If one doesn’t have the gem points, one’s no different from normal humans.”
Saying this, Yongno turned off the lectern’s projector. He was wrapping up his lecture.
“We are not aliens; we are the same as normal people, so I hope you will cherish Masters with affection and interest. So… next question?”
The reporter, who came to her senses, tried to ask another question, but she was soon drowned out by others.
“Hey, are you close with Arthur?”
“We’re friendly with each other. These days, we’re so busy, we don’t even have time to see each other.”
As questions began to come from all parts of the auditorium, the atmosphere, which had been heavy and contentious, gradually eased. Yongno kindly answered the audience member’s questions one by one, and after the lecture was completed, he left the lecture hall to thunderous applause.
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“Are you trying to reach Enlightenment?”
“I’m not interested in religion. What I see is not the reality of truth, but only the original form of existence, so it just happened by chance that the end point of my realization is similar to the Buddhist end point of Enlightenment.”
She grumbled a response with a sullen expression. Seeing the dissatisfaction on her face, Yongno felt that she wasn’t in attendance of her own accord.
“… The lecture topic has gotten a bit off track. Since it’s come to this, shall I take your questions?”
As Yongno spoke to the audience, which was buzzing after overhearing the two’s seemingly contentious yet underlyingly friendly conversation, a beautiful-looking woman quickly raised her hand. Her eyes twinkled as if she had been waiting to ask Yongno a question.
“Yes, you, over there. What are you curious about?”
Hearing Yongno’s words, the woman responded.
“Uhm, I heard that Mr. Merlin is the strongest Master in DIO. Is this true?”
“That’s incorrect. That title would fall to Arthur or Cruze. However, I cannot deny that I am one of the top users.”
In truth, within the Heaven above the Heavens, Arthur and Merlin were both Level 19. Arthur’s growth, which initially rose at a terrifying pace, had recently gone completely stagnant, virtually stopping to a screeching halt, so Merlin was able to slowly catch up.
A quick look at bit.ly/3iBfjkV will leave you more fulfilled.
In the case of Cruze, she developed the slowest amongst the Heaven above the Heavens, but she maintained a steady pace of growth and development, allowing her to currently reach Level 17.
“According to a survey conducted by Masterpiece, a site specializing in manifest-capable users, even Level 10 users who have just reached Master level are said to have combat power that easily exceed that of a single military division once they manifest. Then, how powerful would a Heaven above the Heavens member be if he or she manifested?”
The Master was an entity, who had appeared seemingly from nowhere amongst ordinary people, that completely overturned the world’s existing power dynamic, especially in terms of military strength. Once a Master manifested, no force on Earth could handle him or her; Masters were powerful enough to even withstand a nuclear bomb attack.
The number of Masters increased significantly as users began to feel a sense of urgency, after being invaded by aliens, but the lead group’s pace of development began to stagnate. Even if users with considerable talent exerted effort, they couldn’t break through the Level 15 wall; only the original Heaven above the Heavens had broken through.
“You can use nearly 100% of the power you exert in DIO through manifestation. However, it’s a pity, but one can’t retain anything once manifestation is over.”
A Master who successfully manifested could utilize all the gear one had in DIO and use 100% of the Master’s in-game abilities. Of course, this meant that Yongno, who was also an enchanter, could make magic items in his manifested state.
However, when the manifestation period was over, [everything] that one brought out from DIO disappeared like a mirage. Not only do the items passed on to others disappear once one’s manifestation was over, but one’s casted spells would also be affected; the spell’s magic would disappear, and the effects of the magic were canceled.
‘Everything probably returns to Dynamic Island.’
It was impossible to use magic in real life unless one was able to utilize special abilities, like Yongno, who could directly circulate energy through his spiritual pathways. Even Yongno, who awakened an understanding of spiritual pathways through his understanding of weightless controlled movement, would have found it impossible to fully utilize spiritual pathways and use mana in reality if it had not been for Mary’s Heavenly Seal, so how could anyone expect others to be able to use spiritual powers in real life without manifestation?
“Then, how powerful are you?”
“I don’t know for certain. Probably about as powerful as a modern aircraft carrier?”
Yongno shrugged his shoulders as he answered the question. However, his answer wasn’t telling the whole truth.
‘I’d probably be able to finish off an aircraft carrier in three minutes.’
This was how much time it would take for Merlin to not only defeat an aircraft carrier, but an entire aircraft carrier squadron, including fighters and escort ships. Merlin, who had the water affinity attribute, could handle such a collective force without breaking a sweat.
“I heard that the Heaven above the Heavens was strong, but for one single person to be able to defeat an aircraft carrier alone…”
“But if it’s the power he showed in the recent video, it might be enough…”
“That’s amazing…”
In awe and shock, the audience members started making a commotion. Among the audience were even a few Master level users, but Yongno’s power was overwhelmingly greater than that of those users.
“If you manifest in the middle of a city, isn’t it possible that you may blow up the entire city?”
“What are you trying to get at?”
When Yongno answered with a question, the woman stared back at him with clear, wide eyes.
She then said, “I’m saying that Masters are too strong to blend in with normal people. Shouldn’t Masters be quarantined and extracted away from the general public?”
This was one of the more sensitive issues circulating around mass media recently. As Masters blocked the attacks of the aliens, the Legion and Grotesque, their fights were being filmed through remote cameras more and more often. Hence, people were able to observe the power output of Masters.
Thus, many soon understood that Masters were no different than a powerful biological weapon; a biological weapon that modern weapons could contend against.
“That makes sense. Some people may feel that our mingling with people in daily life is like fully armed tanks roaming the streets. I understand the sentiment for why some may desire Masters to be isolated, voluntarily or by force, away from society.”
During Yongno’s calm words and response, some audience members stared disappointingly at the woman who posed the question. Some, who seemed to be Yongno’s fervent [fans], even glared at her, but Yongno didn’t seem to be bothered. Yongno continued talking.
“Basically, a Master is a power entity that didn’t exist before, and their very existence disrupts current power structures. There are countries that have properly embraced Masters, but for those countries that haven’t, such as China and some countries in Africa, chaos ensues.”
“Wait. That sounds like a threat to embrace Masters or else, regardless of citizen safety.”
The woman spoke in an aggressive tone, but Yongno didn’t panic and responded confidently.
“Yes.”
“W-what?”
“Phew. I’m sure that what I’m about to say now will be heavily edited without any reference to context, but… but I still have to say it, miss reporter.”
The woman, who was struck by Yongno’s calm words and tone, was taken aback.
“No… wait… it’s not…”
“Let’s talk about the problem first. The most understandable case occurred when a dictatorship, a country with a tendency and history of easily suppressing individuals, tried to suppress their Masters. On the flip side, Tibetan independence was possible because they embraced their Masters.”
Several photos floated behind Yongno. As he talked atop the lectern, he searched and found some information on the Internet, so he started sharing those as supporting material while he spoke.
“As you all know, when Tibet insisted on independence, the Chinese government responded negatively. It was to the extent that the Chinese government raised an army and slaughtered Tibetan monks, perhaps because the Chinese government thought that its perceived control power over its various outer regions and people was weakened due to the serious damage it suffered under the Legion and Grotesque’s persistent attacks. Perhaps in the past, China’s domestic press would have controlled the narrative, as it had done until now, while leaked information would cause global condemnation, and the obvious pattern of the Chinese government ignoring that global condemnation would have repeated, but now… a variable arose that threw off the status quo. As everyone knows, Aung Nina, a female Tibetan monk, is a Level 14 martial arts user. She became the variable.”
And because of that one person, the situation in Tibet took a completely different turn. When the protesting Tibetans were being massacred, the Chinese army was thoroughly smashed by a single Master.
A Level 14 Master was a super strong user that fell within the top 5% of all Master level users. Aung Nina’s Great Tantra Hand strike could not only traverse several hundred meters, but it was also powerful enough to destroy a tank in a single blow, so it was impossible for human armies and modern weapons to contend against her.
Once she manifested, she became a monster that couldn’t be defeated, even if missiles were fired at her.
“At first, the Chinese government, which defined Aung Nina as a mass murderer and terrorist, tried to capture her using other Masters, but they suffered significant blowback. As the Chinese Masters rebelled against the government after Aung Nina’s response, the regime teetered to the brink of collapse. This all occurred because the Chinese government did not negotiate with their Masters, rather, they threatened and coerced them, often holding their family’s hostage; that became a problem.”
The ill feelings the Chinese Masters had towards the Chinese government and its high-ranking officials were great.
Naturally, the high-ranking officials, who themselves couldn’t reach the level of Master, did not like the very existence of Masters, so these officials held the Masters’ families hostage, drugged the Masters, or even went as far as installing bombs in the Masters’ bodies to prevent them from acting out against government orders.
However, once manifested, a Master was free from all restrictions placed on his or her physical body. In an instant, the Master’s body transformed into something superhuman, as it was capable of curing all the addictions and diseases that it was suffering from.
Even a person with a natural disability, that is, a hunchbacked person or a person with no legs, would possess a healthy superhuman body after manifestation. It was like a forced metamorphosis.
Even if a bomb was installed inside one’s body, it must be detonated before a Master manifested; once one manifested, one could easily endure an internal explosion with a smile on one’s face.
Also, regardless of which ability one specialized in, a Master level user could easily remove a foreign substance in one’s body, so it was essentially impossible to control a Master through such crude means.
“As you said, in one part, it also makes sense that Masters should be quarantined away from the general public. However, even that isolation must be achieved through a peaceful agreement. If isolation is achieved through oppression, intimidation, and/or discrimination, it’ll be like someone carrying a ticking time bomb on one’s body. Once a Master manifests, the only thing that can stop a Master is another Master.”
After Yongno spoke, the woman continued her line of argument.
“But some Masters use their power to commit crimes. Are you saying we shouldn’t even try to contain them because we’re not capable?”
“Yes. They cannot be isolated. If you don’t like a specific Master’s disposition, you shouldn’t try to contain him or her.”
Yongno continued speaking with a calm expression.
“You have to kill that Master.”
“…”
The reporter, who was about to argue further, was left speechless. Yongno continued speaking.
“The correct approach is negotiation. If that doesn’t work, then it’s obliteration. Other than that, there are no other options. And fortunately, while suppressing a Master is nearly impossible, killing one is simple. Once they manifest, they are virtually invincible… but once their manifestation period runs out, they are essentially just normal people.”
Because the amount of gem points required for manifestation was remarkably high, it was almost impossible for one to constantly be in a state of manifestation unless one was at a very high level. Unless one was a psychopath or someone who didn’t understand how precious one’s life was, one can’t help but worry about what happens after one’s manifestation period ends.
“Well, I understand your general concern, but punishing someone for something they didn’t even do isn’t right either. If one doesn’t have the gem points, one’s no different from normal humans.”
Saying this, Yongno turned off the lectern’s projector. He was wrapping up his lecture.
“We are not aliens; we are the same as normal people, so I hope you will cherish Masters with affection and interest. So… next question?”
The reporter, who came to her senses, tried to ask another question, but she was soon drowned out by others.
“Hey, are you close with Arthur?”
“We’re friendly with each other. These days, we’re so busy, we don’t even have time to see each other.”
As questions began to come from all parts of the auditorium, the atmosphere, which had been heavy and contentious, gradually eased. Yongno kindly answered the audience member’s questions one by one, and after the lecture was completed, he left the lecture hall to thunderous applause.
Are you trying to reach Enlightenment?I'm not interested in religion. What I see is not the reality of truth, but only the original form of existence, so it just happened by chance that the end point of my realization is similar to the Buddhist end point of Enlightenment.She grumbled a response with a sullen expression. Seeing the dissatisfaction on her face, Yongno felt that she wasn't in attendance of her own accord. The lecture topic has gotten a bit off track. Since it's come to this, shall I take your questions?As Yongno spoke to the audience, which was buzzing after overhearing the two's seemingly contentious yet underlyingly friendly conversation, a beautiful-looking woman quickly raised her hand. Her eyes twinkled as if she had been waiting to ask Yongno a question.Yes, you, over there. What are you curious about?Hearing Yongno's words, the woman responded.Uhm, I heard that Mr. Merlin is the strongest Master in DIO. Is this true?That's incorrect. That title would fall to Arthur or Cruze. However, I cannot deny that I am one of the top users.In truth, within the Heaven above the Heavens, Arthur and Merlin were both Level 19. Arthur's growth, which initially rose at a terrifying pace, had recently gone completely stagnant, virtually stopping to a screeching halt, so Merlin was able to slowly catch up.A quick look at bit.ly/3iBfjkV will leave you more fulfilled.In the case of Cruze, she developed the slowest amongst the Heaven above the Heavens, but she maintained a steady pace of growth and development, allowing her to currently reach Level 17.According to a survey conducted by Masterpiece, a site specializing in manifest-capable users, even Level 10 users who have just reached Master level are said to have combat power that easily exceed that of a single military division once they manifest. Then, how powerful would a Heaven above the Heavens member be if he or she manifested?The Master was an entity, who had appeared seemingly from nowhere amongst ordinary people, that completely overturned the world's existing power dynamic, especially in terms of military strength. Once a Master manifested, no force on Earth could handle him or her; Masters were powerful enough to even withstand a nuclear bomb attack.The number of Masters increased significantly as users began to feel a sense of urgency, after being invaded by aliens, but the lead group's pace of development began to stagnate. Even if users with considerable talent exerted effort, they couldn't break through the Level 15 wall; only the original Heaven above the Heavens had broken through.You can use nearly 100% of the power you exert in DIO through manifestation. However, it's a pity, but one can't retain anything once manifestation is over.A Master who successfully manifested could utilize all the gear one had in DIO and use 100% of the Master's in-game abilities. Of course, this meant that Yongno, who was also an enchanter, could make magic items in his manifested state.However, when the manifestation period was over, everything that one brought out from DIO disappeared like a mirage. Not only do the items passed on to others disappear once one's manifestation was over, but one's casted spells would also be affected; the spell's magic would disappear, and the effects of the magic were canceled.Everything probably returns to Dynamic Island.'It was impossible to use magic in real life unless one was able to utilize special abilities, like Yongno, who could directly circulate energy through his spiritual pathways. Even Yongno, who awakened an understanding of spiritual pathways through his understanding of weightless controlled movement, would have found it impossible to fully utilize spiritual pathways and use mana in reality if it had not been for Mary's Heavenly Seal, so how could anyone expect others to be able to use spiritual powers in real life without manifestation?Then, how powerful are you?I don't know for certain. Probably about as powerful as a modern aircraft carrier?Yongno shrugged his shoulders as he answered the question. However, his answer wasn't telling the whole truth.I'd probably be able to finish off an aircraft carrier in three minutes.'This was how much time it would take for Merlin to not only defeat an aircraft carrier, but an entire aircraft carrier squadron, including fighters and escort ships. Merlin, who had the water affinity attribute, could handle such a collective force without breaking a sweat.I heard that the Heaven above the Heavens was strong, but for one single person to be able to defeat an aircraft carrier aloneBut if it's the power he showed in the recent video, it might be enoughThat's amazingIn awe and shock, the audience members started making a commotion. Among the audience were even a few Master level users, but Yongno's power was overwhelmingly greater than that of those users.If you manifest in the middle of a city, isn't it possible that you may blow up the entire city?What are you trying to get at?When Yongno answered with a question, the woman stared back at him with clear, wide eyes.She then said, I'm saying that Masters are too strong to blend in with normal people. Shouldn't Masters be quarantined and extracted away from the general public?This was one of the more sensitive issues circulating around mass media recently. As Masters blocked the attacks of the aliens, the Legion and Grotesque, their fights were being filmed through remote cameras more and more often. Hence, people were able to observe the power output of Masters.Thus, many soon understood that Masters were no different than a powerful biological weapon; a biological weapon that modern weapons could contend against.That makes sense. Some people may feel that our mingling with people in daily life is like fully armed tanks roaming the streets. I understand the sentiment for why some may desire Masters to be isolated, voluntarily or by force, away from society.During Yongno's calm words and response, some audience members stared disappointingly at the woman who posed the question. Some, who seemed to be Yongno's fervent fans, even glared at her, but Yongno didn't seem to be bothered. Yongno continued talking.Basically, a Master is a power entity that didn't exist before, and their very existence disrupts current power structures. There are countries that have properly embraced Masters, but for those countries that haven't, such as China and some countries in Africa, chaos ensues.Wait. That sounds like a threat to embrace Masters or else, regardless of citizen safety.The woman spoke in an aggressive tone, but Yongno didn't panic and responded confidently.Yes.W-what?Phew. I'm sure that what I'm about to say now will be heavily edited without any reference to context, but but I still have to say it, miss reporter.The woman, who was struck by Yongno's calm words and tone, was taken aback.No wait it's notLet's talk about the problem first. The most understandable case occurred when a dictatorship, a country with a tendency and history of easily suppressing individuals, tried to suppress their Masters. On the flip side, Tibetan independence was possible because they embraced their Masters.Several photos floated behind Yongno. As he talked atop the lectern, he searched and found some information on the Internet, so he started sharing those as supporting material while he spoke.As you all know, when Tibet insisted on independence, the Chinese government responded negatively. It was to the extent that the Chinese government raised an army and slaughtered Tibetan monks, perhaps because the Chinese government thought that its perceived control power over its various outer regions and people was weakened due to the serious damage it suffered under the Legion and Grotesque's persistent attacks. Perhaps in the past, China's domestic press would have controlled the narrative, as it had done until now, while leaked information would cause global condemnation, and the obvious pattern of the Chinese government ignoring that global condemnation would have repeated, but now a variable arose that threw off the status quo. As everyone knows, Aung Nina, a female Tibetan monk, is a Level 14 martial arts user. She became the variable.And because of that one person, the situation in Tibet took a completely different turn. When the protesting Tibetans were being massacred, the Chinese army was thoroughly smashed by a single Master.A Level 14 Master was a super strong user that fell within the top 5% of all Master level users. Aung Nina's Great Tantra Hand strike could not only traverse several hundred meters, but it was also powerful enough to destroy a tank in a single blow, so it was impossible for human armies and modern weapons to contend against her.Once she manifested, she became a monster that couldn't be defeated, even if missiles were fired at her.At first, the Chinese government, which defined Aung Nina as a mass murderer and terrorist, tried to capture her using other Masters, but they suffered significant blowback. As the Chinese Masters rebelled against the government after Aung Nina's response, the regime teetered to the brink of collapse. This all occurred because the Chinese government did not negotiate with their Masters, rather, they threatened and coerced them, often holding their family's hostage; that became a problem.The ill feelings the Chinese Masters had towards the Chinese government and its high-ranking officials were great.Naturally, the high-ranking officials, who themselves couldn't reach the level of Master, did not like the very existence of Masters, so these officials held the Masters' families hostage, drugged the Masters, or even went as far as installing bombs in the Masters' bodies to prevent them from acting out against government orders.However, once manifested, a Master was free from all restrictions placed on his or her physical body. In an instant, the Master's body transformed into something superhuman, as it was capable of curing all the addictions and diseases that it was suffering from.Even a person with a natural disability, that is, a hunchbacked person or a person with no legs, would possess a healthy superhuman body after manifestation. It was like a forced metamorphosis.Even if a bomb was installed inside one's body, it must be detonated before a Master manifested; once one manifested, one could easily endure an internal explosion with a smile on one's face.Also, regardless of which ability one specialized in, a Master level user could easily remove a foreign substance in one's body, so it was essentially impossible to control a Master through such crude means.As you said, in one part, it also makes sense that Masters should be quarantined away from the general public. However, even that isolation must be achieved through a peaceful agreement. If isolation is achieved through oppression, intimidation, and/or discrimination, it'll be like someone carrying a ticking time bomb on one's body. Once a Master manifests, the only thing that can stop a Master is another Master.After Yongno spoke, the woman continued her line of argument.But some Masters use their power to commit crimes. Are you saying we shouldn't even try to contain them because we're not capable?Yes. They cannot be isolated. If you don't like a specific Master's disposition, you shouldn't try to contain him or her.Yongno continued speaking with a calm expression.You have to kill that Master.The reporter, who was about to argue further, was left speechless. Yongno continued speaking.The correct approach is negotiation. If that doesn't work, then it's obliteration. Other than that, there are no other options. And fortunately, while suppressing a Master is nearly impossible, killing one is simple. Once they manifest, they are virtually invincible but once their manifestation period runs out, they are essentially just normal people.Because the amount of gem points required for manifestation was remarkably high, it was almost impossible for one to constantly be in a state of manifestation unless one was at a very high level. Unless one was a psychopath or someone who didn't understand how precious one's life was, one can't help but worry about what happens after one's manifestation period ends.Well, I understand your general concern, but punishing someone for something they didn't even do isn't right either. If one doesn't have the gem points, one's no different from normal humans.Saying this, Yongno turned off the lectern's projector. He was wrapping up his lecture.We are not aliens; we are the same as normal people, so I hope you will cherish Masters with affection and interest. So next question?The reporter, who came to her senses, tried to ask another question, but she was soon drowned out by others.Hey, are you close with Arthur?We're friendly with each other. These days, we're so busy, we don't even have time to see each other.As questions began to come from all parts of the auditorium, the atmosphere, which had been heavy and contentious, gradually eased. Yongno kindly answered the audience member's questions one by one, and after the lecture was completed, he left the lecture hall to thunderous applause.
