I finally made it home after a series of twists and turns.
There had been police questioning and interviews with journalists.
I was mentally drained, so as soon as I got home, I laid down on the bed and turned on my smartphone.
Messages from the club members had come in.
I hesitated a bit before tapping them.
‘Sorry to have caused so much trouble because of my suspension. It’s kind of embarrassing.’
I clicked on Sang-hyun’s message first.
<Don’t worry about the Nodaya suspension. I've actually boosted my credentials for management applications, so it's turning out great. I'll put it in my application letter. lol>
Seemed like Sang-hyun was thinking positively about everything, thankfully.
Then, I opened Isiah’s message.
<Are you okay?>
<Not mad, are you? I didn't even know there was a rule against entering dungeons that could lead to suspension. sniff...>
Isiah appeared to be more worried that I might be angry.
There was no trace of blame or resentment.
‘Sang-hyun’s right after all.’
Skipping classes pales in comparison to the experience gained from clearing a dungeon—something that looks great on a management application.
I owe them a thank-you for giving me such a valuable credential without any risks.
Once Isiah realized I was fine, she perked up and switched the topic to something else.
<Check out this picture. This is me transformed using the transformation belt. Cool, right?>
The transformation belt.
It was some contraption created by an alien scientist, letting you transform into a mechanical hero. Unfortunately, it had the unusual restriction of requiring a “Grade 1 Imperial Engineer,” so it was unusable for me.
Now it was an item no one could use, considering the empire that crafted it was long extinct.
I gave it to Isiah. With her “Machine Deity” skill, she was able to bypass the restriction and utilize it.
‘Definitely a broken skill, huh.’
Using the belt, a cloud of metal dust enveloped the user, forming an armor-like suit. It resembled the powered suits from some movies—just spikier, like my knight’s armor. The design seemed to lean heavily into the flashiness factor.
I clicked on the photo Isiah sent. She stood in a peculiar pose, transformed into the mechanical hero “Gareas.”
She definitely looked stylish in the “Gareas” suit.
<What’s with that pose?>
<Oh, it's something from a tokusatsu show. The heroes in those series use that stance...>
‘What’s a tokusatsu show?’
I asked, but Isiah evaded the question, likely not wanting to explain in detail.
After clearing out all my unread messages, I set out of the house carrying only my subspace pocket, which now housed “Leather of the Sage” and “Dragon Sword,” all the items I possessed.
I used “Polymorph” at a slightly secluded spot and equipped my gear. My body felt incredibly light.
My strength had clearly grown.
“Status screen.”
————<Status Screen>————
◈ Name
n̶̡̡̛̟̠͈͎̟̍͜͝͡͠ᵘ̢̰̭̲̋͒̓͊̀̒́͘͡l̴̳͙͓̞̻̝͇̥͆̋͂̉̕͡͠͠l̨̛̫̖̝͓̮̳͓͆̃̈̈́̈́͆̈̕
◈ Stats
[Strength 200 A] (+1100)
[Agility 841 B] (+1300)
[Intelligence 291 C] (+800)
[Luck 277 F] (+1000)
[Overall C]
◈ Skills
[Succession 915 A]
[Dragon Heart — A]
[Telekinesis 711 C]
[Magic Engraving — B]
[Polymorph — S]
———————————–
This is my ultimate power.
Strength S-rank, Agility S-rank, Intelligence B-rank, Luck E-rank.
While it might partly be due to my gear, this level of power would earn significant respect in any country.
‘Still, even with this, taking on a real S-rank Awakened One would be tough.’
An S-rank Awakened One generally has not only S-rank base stats but also SS-rank practical abilities, thanks to their long-term dungeon experiences and access to powerful items.
Tem gear isn’t exclusively mine.
Closing my status screen, I moved forward.
I needed to rescue two kids.
Their names were “Alpha” and “Omega.”
Apparently, there used to be more of them, but the rest had died during the experiments.
They were genetically engineered “designer babies,” each designed with the genetic materials of highly talented Awakened Individuals.
Their creation was based on the premise of maximizing the talent of those most likely to awaken.
As it turned out, their creators had been right all along.
Awakening isn’t random; it requires the fulfillment of certain conditions.
Anyway, these kids were somewhere in a secret lab, undergoing experiments and likely cultivating a deep-seated hatred for humanity.
Later, they would escape and become notorious villains who would devastate a city and flee to China.
Maybe if I rescue them now, while they’re young, the story could take a different turn.
The problem was, I had no idea where this secret lab was.
I did, however, know where I could get a clue.
It’s a place called the “Sea Party.”
A secret gathering spot for Awakened Ones where illegal trades, weapon smuggling, drug trafficking, and hitmen contracts all happened under one roof.
I headed for Incheon Port.
A cruise hosting the night sea party…
Tickets aren’t publicly sold for this event, but I knew how to procure one. It was an Easter egg in the main story: an NFT.
These NFTs served as invitations, spread by word of mouth.
The symbol—a Taeguk with a Star of David embedded within—priced at a steep 20 million won.
I purchased the relevant NFT on a cryptocurrency exchange.
At the pier, I approached a few suspicious-looking individuals and showed them my NFT. I struck out twice before finding the right contact.
“What? Is that… Dark Knight?”
“I want to attend the sea party.”
“How do I know I can trust you?”
He grabbed his radio to call for backup. I caught his neck and drew the Dragon Sword.
“I have an invitation… I’m just another guest.”
“Hnn…”
“It’s expensive. I’d like to be treated as a guest.”
-What is it?! Who’s there?!
A voice crackled from the radio. Likely the person on standby.
“Tell him. Tell him I’m a guest.”
He nodded nervously. I released him.
“Dark Knight… He has an invitation!”
-What? Dark Knight? Is that the one I know?
“Yes! Yes!”
-This is crazy…! The Chairman!
Clatter. Footsteps running away.
Soon, a woman’s voice came through the radio.
-Hey there, Dark Knight. I’m the owner of this ship, “Red Knight.” You want to attend the party?
“Yes.”
-Why? Don’t tell me you’re here to catch villains…
“No. I’m here to buy information.”
-Information? Better have the money for it.
I opened the bag I’d brought and showed it to his lackey.
“It’s full of cash!”
-Fine. You’re cleared to come aboard as long as you don’t cause any trouble. If you do, I personally will kill you.
“…”
The “Red Knight” was a forty-something woman with fiery red hair and the reputation of a former S-rank Hunter. Known for her volatile temperament, she had lived by killing anyone who crossed her. Normally, she’d be classified as a villain, but her combat prowess was simply unmatched—and due to humanity’s pending survival crisis, she was acquitted.
“Mask Rider” started his hero activities and founded the association to prevent more people from going down a similar path as her.
Since retiring from hunting, she’d been running a major underworld scheme, acting as a broker of sorts for this secret world.
Her ship was a kind of neutral zone.
Anyone could come, but fighting was strictly prohibited—even enemies in long-standing feuds had to leave their grudges at the dock. Her guarantee of peace, backed by her S-rank powers, made it a reality.
Eventually, her cruise became a recognized neutral ground.
For this reason, it became a haven for villains and information dealers alike. Weapon smuggling and drug trafficking were regular affairs.
“Show me your hand.”
The goon slipped a bracelet over my wrist.
“What’s this?”
“It’s worn by all party attendees. If you raise a fuss over there, it will explode. Not that anyone would dare with Sister Red Knight managing it.”
“And how am I supposed to know you won’t just blow it up randomly?”
“It’s never happened in all these years. If it did, our business would collapse.”
I nodded. I remembered from the sea party raid part of the main story that all participants wore these bracelets; it seemed to fit.
Clack.
The bracelet locked, and I couldn’t remove it without permission.
The goon became a bit bolder, leading me to a small boat. We boarded and headed toward the cruise ship.
Even if it did explode, it wouldn’t matter. I could just vanish in mist and escape.
The cruise, docked along the shore, was adorned with dazzling lights, creating a dreamlike atmosphere. As we approached, the sounds of revelry grew louder.
And so, I arrived at the sea party.
