The Paranormal Bureau

The next day,

the morning sunlight shone into the room through a gap in the curtains.

Zhou Yan sat cross-legged on the floor, a ball of flame resting in each hand. The flames spun and danced in his palms, growing and shrinking like two obedient little sprites.

"Little Lin!" he shouted excitedly. "Look, look! I can control my ability!"

Lin Jin rose from the couch, walked over, and took a look.

"Not bad."

"Barely a pass."

Zhou Yan extinguished the flames and sprang to his feet, waving his arms in excitement. "I did it! I'm a real awakener now! Nobody can push me around anymore!"

"Don't get ahead of yourself," Lin Jin said, throwing cold water on his excitement. "With your strength, even an ordinary entity would give you trouble."

The smile on Zhou Yan's face stiffened. "Can't you wish me well for once?"

"I'm just telling the truth." Lin Jin walked to the window and pulled open the curtains. "But you can start learning some combat techniques now."

Zhou Yan's eyes lit up. "You mean that... Fire Release?"

"Yeah." Lin Jin turned around. "There are a few basic Fire Release Ninjutsu you can learn now. Great Fireball Technique, Flame Bullet, and Phoenix Flower Jutsu."

(In this setting, chakra and this world's esper energy had no fundamental differences.)

Zhou Yan nodded excitedly. "Yes, yes, yes! I'll learn them all!"

Just then, a sudden knock came at the door.

Knock, knock, knock.

Zhou Yan froze and looked at Lin Jin.

Lin Jin's gaze sharpened slightly. He sensed two energy fluctuations outside the door, one of which felt somewhat familiar.

It was one of the people from last night.

"Who is it?" Zhou Yan walked over to open the door.

Lin Jin reached out to stop him, then went to the door himself and looked through the peephole.

Two women stood outside. One was the short-haired woman from last night.

Lin Jin was silent for a second, then opened the door.

"Hello." She showed her identification. "I'm Su Qianxue, with the Paranormal Bureau Special Operations Group. There were anomalous energy fluctuations around here last night. We're here for a routine investigation."

As she spoke, her gaze passed Lin Jin and landed on Zhou Yan inside.

Zhou Yan shrank back and took a step away.

"And awakener fluctuations as well," Su Qianxue continued. "If it's convenient, we'd like to talk to you both."

Lin Jin looked at her, remaining silent for several seconds before stepping aside.

"Come in."

Su Qianxue sat on the couch. The short-haired woman from last night stood behind her, studying Lin Jin and Zhou Yan.

Zhou Yan was nothing unusual, but Lin Jin gave her the impression of being somewhat similar to the figure who had acted last night.

She then leaned close to Su Qianxue's ear and whispered something.

Lin Jin sat opposite them, and Zhou Yan sat beside him, a little nervous.

"Were you the one who dealt with that C-rank entity in the alley last night?" Su Qianxue looked at Lin Jin and went straight to the point.

Zhou Yan instinctively looked at Lin Jin.

Lin Jin did not deny it. He nodded. "Yes."

Su Qianxue's gaze sharpened.

She stared at Lin Jin, trying to read something from his face, but it was as calm as stagnant water. She could discern nothing.

"Is your ability fire-based?" she asked.

"You could say that."

"Could you demonstrate?"

Lin Jin raised a hand, and a ball of flame ignited in his palm. It was merely ordinary fire without much power, but its concentration and his control far exceeded those of an ordinary awakener.

Zhou Yan's eyes widened involuntarily. Wait, you really can use fire?

Su Qianxue watched the flame, her brow furrowing slightly.

It seemed somewhat different from the flames Chen Feng had described, which had killed a C-rank entity in a single strike last night. But the precision of his fire control certainly did not seem like a beginner's.

"You didn't just awaken, did you?" she asked again.

Lin Jin extinguished the flame. "No."

"Have you registered?"

"Registered?"

Su Qianxue fell silent for a moment, then said, "Paranormal Bureau regulations require all awakeners to register so they can be managed."

Lin Jin looked at her without speaking.

His eyes made Su Qianxue feel a little uncomfortable.

His gaze was too calm, unlike someone who had just awakened. He seemed more like a veteran accustomed to life and death.

She took a deep breath and changed the subject. "What about this young man?"

She looked at Zhou Yan. "There were fluctuations from another awakener's ability here last night. That was you, wasn't it?"

Zhou Yan swallowed. "Y-yes, that was me. I only awakened last night."

Su Qianxue nodded. "I can sense your esper energy. You're indeed in the very early stages of awakening."

She paused, then stated her real reason for coming.

"We came today to invite you both to join the Paranormal Bureau."

Zhou Yan froze. "Huh?"

"The Paranormal Bureau is an official agency specializing in paranormal incidents," Su Qianxue explained. "Once you join, you'll receive systematic guidance in esper ability cultivation, steady compensation, and official status. It's the best choice for an awakener."

She looked at Lin Jin. "With your strength, you can enter the combat team directly and receive Origin Energy Realm benefits."

Lin Jin said nothing.

Zhou Yan scratched his head and asked quietly, "How good... are the benefits?"

Su Qianxue glanced at him. "A base salary of twenty thousand, five types of social insurance, and a housing fund, plus additional allowances for missions. Accommodation is provided, along with dedicated cultivation resources."

Zhou Yan stared wide-eyed. "Twenty thousand?!"

Working himself to the bone at that little supermarket earned him less than five thousand a month.

He turned to Lin Jin, his eyes practically saying, "Say yes, say yes."

Lin Jin ignored him and looked at Su Qianxue.

"What happens if we don't join?"

"The Paranormal Bureau doesn't force anyone to join. Once you've registered, as long as you don't use your abilities to commit crimes, the bureau generally won't interfere much in your lives."

After saying that, Su Qianxue looked at him again. "Joining the Paranormal Bureau offers you benefits without drawbacks. I hope you'll think it through."

But Lin Jin merely shook his head.

"I'm not joining."

Su Qianxue frowned. "Why?"

"I prefer my freedom. I'm not used to being constrained." Lin Jin stood and walked to the window. "Of course, if you need my help with something, I can lend a hand. But I'll need payment."

Although he needed to kill entities to collect world power, he also did not want people ordering him around, so cooperation was the best approach.

Su Qianxue looked at him, a thoughtful gleam flashing in her eyes.

This man had considerable strength, yet refused to join the authorities. Either he had an unusual background, was the disciple of an expert, or... something was wrong with him.

After some thought, she did not insist.

"All right. But if you ever change your mind, you can come to me anytime." She handed him a business card. "Here's my contact information."

Lin Jin took the card, glanced at it, and casually slipped it into his pocket.

Su Qianxue turned to Zhou Yan. "And you?"

Zhou Yan hesitated.

He looked at Lin Jin, then at Su Qianxue, and said quietly, "Can I... think about it some more?"

Su Qianxue nodded. "Call me when you've decided." She stood, preparing to leave.

"Wait."

Su Qianxue looked back.

Lin Jin looked at her. "If it's convenient... I'd like to learn about the awakeners' realms and how entities are ranked."

Su Qianxue paused, not having expected him to ask such a question.

The man before her was strong, yet did not even know the ranks of awakeners and entities. Could he really be the final disciple of some reclusive elder?

"I can answer that."

She sat down again and began explaining.

"From lowest to highest, the awakeners' realms are the Awakening Stage, Divine Sense Stage, Source Energy Stage, Domain Stage, Transcendent Stage, and Divine Domain Stage."

"At the Awakening Stage, you've just awakened, and your energy is initially activated and usable. At the Divine Sense Stage, you can sense the flow of energy and use your ability proficiently. At the Source Energy Stage, your energy becomes concentrated enough to sustain high-intensity combat."

"At the Domain Stage, you can manifest a personal domain to suppress opponents. At the Transcendent Stage, you surpass mortal limits, and your physical body can withstand modern weaponry."

"The Divine Domain Stage is a realm of legend. It's said that you can touch upon the level of laws, but that's only legend, because no one has seen a true Divine Domain Stage expert."

Lin Jin silently committed it to memory. Converting it to his own standards, he was currently at Super Kage Level, which should roughly correspond to this world's Transcendent level. But he would only know after fighting someone.

"What about the entities' ranks?" he asked.

"Our Paranormal Bureau divides entities into eight ranks, from lowest to highest: E, D, C, B, A, S, SS, and SSS."

Su Qianxue continued,

"E-rank entities are the weakest. Even ordinary people might be able to fight them. Ordinary people with weapons can handle D-rank entities, but C-rank and above require awakeners."

"B-rank entities require someone at the Divine Sense Stage. A-rank is called danger level, corresponding to the Source Energy Stage. S-rank is city-destroying level, corresponding to the Domain Stage. SS-rank is natural disaster level, corresponding to Transcendent level."

"As for SSS-rank, forbidden level, none have appeared so far. No one knows their strength. It's only speculation."

Lin Jin nodded.

The Shadow Wraith last night had been C-rank, at roughly Genin to Chunin strength. The E-rank entity Zhou Yan had encountered was even weaker, but it had still frightened him into awakening.

Judging by his understanding of these realms, this world should have Transcendent beings-in other words, beings at Super Kage Level.

"Is there anything else you'd like to ask?" Su Qianxue looked at him.

Lin Jin thought for a moment. "Are there any Transcendent-level awakeners currently?"

Su Qianxue paused, then answered directly. "Yes, but only the top factions and families have Transcendent Stage experts holding the fort."

"That's all I can say. Knowing more wouldn't be good for you."

Having confirmed his guess, Lin Jin asked no further questions.

Su Qianxue stood. "I've answered your questions. Now it's my turn to ask you one."

Lin Jin looked at her.

"Who exactly are you?" She stared into his eyes. "Your aura doesn't feel like an ordinary awakener's. That feeling... is more like someone who's been through a lot."

Lin Jin was silent for several seconds before saying, "Someone who came back."

Su Qianxue frowned. "What does that mean?"

Lin Jin did not explain.

Su Qianxue watched him for a while. Knowing she would get nothing out of him, she decided to investigate after returning, then turned to leave.

At the door, she suddenly looked back. "Right, I still don't know your name."

"Lin Jin."

"Lin Jin..." She repeated it, then smiled. "I'll remember that. I hope we'll have a chance to work together in the future."