“Please write down everything you know about what you saw there.”
The Management Bureau was located in the center of Seoul, and I was guided to a separate room within the facility.
The room resembled a reception area rather than an interrogation chamber.
“I don’t really know much beyond what I already told that person earlier.”
“Even so, write down whatever you can.”
The Management Bureau staff member spoke indifferently while pressing a button on the remote control.
The television displayed breaking news about the successful containment of the second eruption. However, there was no mention of the sighting of the 4-Star Calamity, Storm Dragon Tempestra. It was clear that the government was blocking the spread of information.
I briefly looked at the TV before filling out the incident report. It was more like a standard report than anything else.
[Outlying small towns suffered catastrophic damage. It is estimated that the death toll could approach several thousand…]
[The central government’s response was…]
As soon as the report began detailing the conditions in the regions, the Management Bureau staff turned off the television.
I shrugged and handed over the report, and then the staff member exited the room to call someone. It was the man I had seen earlier—Jo Geon-wook.
“Have you finished?”
“Yes.”
Jo Geon-wook began scrutinizing the report.
I subtly shifted my gaze to the window behind Jo. On the rooftop of the building opposite the Management Bureau, Selene stood with her hood pulled low over her face. She mouthed a message.
“If there are any problems, please call me.”
Selene’s stealth skill was impressive but, like in games, it had a cooldown. As a result, she couldn’t follow us into the Management Bureau building and had to wait on the rooftop of the opposite building.
Of course, the likelihood of them harming me was practically zero.
“Hmm.”
Jo Geon-wook finally spoke after apparently finishing the report.
“So, the Awakened One Han Tae-geon tried to kill Nam Joo-yeon?”
“Yes.”
“There’s no evidence, and since the party involved is dead, we can’t even hear his side of the story.”
“That’s correct.”
“In that situation, Storm Dragon Tempestra suddenly appeared, killed Han Tae-geon, and flew away?”
“Yes.”
Jo sighed deeply, his expression complex—undoubtedly pondering whether to believe this seemingly unbelievable story.
But I had not lied about anything. It was all the truth, so I felt nothing but confidence. Jo seemed to take note of my expression and reluctantly added,
“So, Mr. Nam Joo-yeon, what about the severed arm at the scene?”
A little surprised, Jo suddenly addressed me with respect.
“Maybe the dragon’s claw severed it.”
“…”
Jo and I locked eyes for a while before he looked away first. He roughly stuffed my report into a folder and tossed it onto the opposite table.
Eventually, leaning back in his chair, Jo said,
“Alright. There’s no way to verify Mr. Nam’s testimony anyway, and it’s a fact that a 4-Star Dragon appeared, so we have to believe you.”
Jo shrugged his shoulder and brought up a new subject.
“Do you remember the nest in Cheonan?”
An unexpected topic.
However, it was also somewhat sensitive.
“Is that the nest that was supposedly destroyed not too long ago?”
“Yes. We suspect it was a natural disappearance, but when you think about it, it doesn’t make sense. All the other nests are still intact, yet the largest one in Cheonan disappeared.”
“Ahaha…”
Jo leaned forward toward me, asking bluntly.
“Why were you in Cheonan the day that nest disappeared?”
“…”
So the checkpoint incident was indeed a mistake.
I frowned.
“I just went to see if there was anything to retrieve.”
“Did you find anything?”
“Well, a couple of 1-Star Calamities, actually. Rock Cleaners. I combined them and managed to get this golem. Lucky, huh?”
Jo seemed satisfied with my succinct explanation and did not press further but instead nodded and continued,
“Yes. Mr. Nam Joo-yeon, I have a proposal.”
“A proposal?”
“Would you consider joining the Management Bureau?”
“The Management Bureau?”
“If you possess a 2-Star Calamity, you meet the requirements. I also have a 2-Star Calamity, so I’ve secured a pretty high position within the bureau. We are going to implement a grading system soon, and Management Bureau-affiliated Awakened Ones will start at B-Rank, at least. You could go even higher. There’s generous support, and we provide a secure base.”
It seemed Jo wanted to recruit and keep me within the Management Bureau.
As the news on the previously turned-off TV indicated, Seoul had successfully defended against the eruption, unlike the regions. They appeared to be trying to gather as much power as possible by hiring Awakening talents.
However, the Management Bureau’s association didn’t particularly appeal to me.
After all, I already had access to The Abyss, which was the highest level of defense. Plus, becoming a member would mean I couldn’t be with Selene. There were more drawbacks than benefits.
“No, thank you. It’s not the right fit for me.”
“Too bad.”
“Yes. May I leave now?”
“Alright, I’ll have someone escort you out.”
Jo arranged for a staff member to guide me out. Until I left the room, his gaze never left me.
“Something seems off.”
“What’s off?”
When asked by a staff member, Jo frowned while skimming through the report.
It contained no useful information.
Still, there was really no reason to disbelieve the circumstances.
However, Jo’s instincts were telling him something wasn’t right.
“Keep an eye on that Awakened One, Nam Joo-yeon.”
“Surveillance of civilians without permission is illegal.”
“Is he just a civilian? He’s an Awakened One now. Property of the state.”
“…”
Although the staff member reluctantly agreed despite shaking his head, Jo had his own certainty.
He stroked his now worthless police ID in his pocket.
[Dominant Actor, welcome back to the base.]
[While you were away, this happened at the base.]
Ding!
[4★ Hellfire Guardian has successfully synthesized a new Calamity.]
[Reward: 30Exp / 1★ Forest Rat]
[…]
I adjusted my status window, commanding the Hellfire Guardian to handle another Calamity synthesis.
We needed to use multiple 1-Star Calamities to produce a stable 2-Star, and the higher the level of the one synthesizing it, the better the probability of success.
Of course, so far I had only gotten blanks.
“…Good work.”
Selene was waiting for me at the heart of The Abyss, on the throne.
I sat down on the chair, feeling a bit downhearted.
“Has anything happened? Did they harm you?”
“The likelihood of that is zero. And you wouldn’t have just sat there if they had.”
Right, Selene would have already drawn her blade and turned the place into rubble.
“…Thank you. I shall continue to improve.”
Selene seemed to interpret this as an expression of trust, or even a compliment, and her shoulders twitched slightly.
“Selene.”
But I didn’t correct her and instead opened my mouth to speak.
“Seems like Mirien isn’t hostile to me after all. What do you think?”
A conversation we hadn’t finished earlier due to Jo’s appearance.
The 5-Star Calamity Storm Mirien, much like Selene, seemed determined to protect me. Sending a 4-Star dragon to circle around me was a solid example.
When Selene met my gaze, she reluctantly nodded.
“Yes. Mirien… having been saved by you, it’s only natural.”
“Saved… what do you mean, saved?”
“You may not remember such an insignificant event, my Lord, but just as you bestowed elixir upon me, you also gave her a new life.”
“…”
Only then did it start making sense to me.
Characters at the 5-Star level in the Disaster Order all started with some innate flaw.
Like Selene with her scarred body from severe burns, Mirien had a defect called “Missing Heart.”
This was both a specialized quest and enhancement quest requiring a 5-Star item.
Thinking about the number of 4-Star Calamities I lost trying to obtain it during various expeditions gave me chills.
The name of that item was…
“…Pulsating Heart of the Moon.”
“Yes. You granted her a priceless treasure. In essence, that spell caster owes her life to you, and she’s just repaying the favor.”
“Then, wouldn’t it make sense to let her join?”
I tilted my head.
After all, Mirien considered me her savior and was still trying to protect me, even after being dismissed from my base. Wouldn’t it be better to bring her into The Abyss and strengthen our forces?
“May I humbly offer my advice, my Lord?”
But Selene seemed to have a different opinion.
“Mirien, never bring her here. She walks a path destined for ruin.”
“…Ruin?”
In response to my question, Selene turned her head, gazing at her reflection in the Abyss’s water puddles as she smiled bitterly.
“What happens when boundless omnipotence is introduced to human emotions?”
“What do you mean?”
“Mirien is such a being. Born that way, she doesn’t know human feelings. But then she met you and began to understand a fragment of emotion for the first time.”
I furrowed my brow, trying to understand, but Selene continued without hesitation.
“That is the nature of storms. They destroy everything and engulf all before they finally stop.”
“What does that mean?”
“Storm of the North Sea, Mirien. She is a sorceress at heart, a person who would try to acquire what they desire no matter the cost—even if it means killing to possess.”
“…”
“Even if that person is you, my Lord.”
Selene’s expression was dead serious.
