Click.
Click.
“Wow, you’ve become the most famous person in the Republic of Korea. Overseas, your recognition might even exceed the president’s.”
“…Stop it.”
“Ouch, the XTube headquarters has even commented. They’re offering an official influencer badge.”
Kang Se-na was watching a video on the streaming site, clicking her tongue.
No wonder: the video’s response was explosive.
The video, uploaded just around yesterday evening, had already reached eighty million views. At this rate, it was guaranteed to hit one hundred million by the end of today.
Given how chaotic the world had become, this could be considered an unprecedented record.
“So, Mr. Nam Joo-yeon, how does it feel to suddenly become a megastar?”
“Frankly, I’m not interested.”
A brief one-minute video where I summoned Tempestra and destroyed Nest in Incheon. The source? My fellow Awakened One, Seo Ye-rin.
I thought she was filming merely for record-keeping and reporting purposes, but instead, she uploaded it without hesitation. Consequently, the tabloids seized her video, turning it into prime news material that was subsequently reported abroad.
The headlines from those articles might as well read something like this:
[Hope of humanity, Korea’s S-Rank Awakened One obliterates the Nest with a single strike.]
“The nationalists will be going wild over this.”
Already, my head was starting to pound.
I should’ve probably stopped Seo Ye-rin from filming.
Perhaps it showed on my face since Kang Se-na turned off her laptop and said,
“Still, don’t think too harshly of Ye-rin. She may be a bit clumsy but is an innocent girl. She has no ill intentions.”
“Are you close to this Seo Ye-rin Awakened One, Kang Se-na?”
“Hmm… well, we’re both from the Awakened One Management Bureau, share the B-Rank tier, and are the same gender. Something like female solidarity, you know. And, no, it’s not feminism, absolutely not.”
Seemingly stung, Kang Se-na quickly added.
“In any case, now that the video’s gone viral, scrollers from various countries will begin to take particular notice of you, Mr. Nam Joo-yeon. Some might promise billions. Especially China, with a landmass to match its calamities, may go to extreme lengths to recruit you, perhaps even offering hundreds of billions, possibly trillions.”
“…Hmm.”
Billions, huh?
Before the world turned into the Disaster Order, hearing such a figure would’ve tempted me.
But the current state of the world doesn’t allow for indulgence in extravagance.
“Even if you receive that much money, can it even be used?”
“Nope.”
Kang Se-na dismissed it succinctly.
“The global economy is collapsing. Banks are frozen, the rich are building fallout shelters left and right, and real assets will soon become primary. Otherwise, perhaps the in-system currency might serve as the new benchmark.”
Kang Se-na dexterously manipulated her status window, shaking a few chips between her fingers. Those small chips are all experience points. The ability to extract and use experience points in chip form was a feature that didn’t exist before the Disaster Order.
It seems this feature emerged due to the Disaster Order becoming a multiplayer game. As for who the main culprit behind the world’s chaos is, the patching speed is unmatched when compared to any game developer.
“People are already swapping these chips for daily essentials. A new term, ‘life-sustaining Awakened Ones,’ has been coined. Did you hear about it?”
“Yeah, but is the demand really that high?”
“Well, experience points aren’t just for improving strongholds, you know. They can enhance equipment among other things. Furthermore, it seems these items can even be used by non-Awakened. In the U.S., they’ve declared they’ll buy these chips from Awakened Ones to build an army of non-Awakened individuals. It’s unlikely this will rival powerful Calamities, but it’s better than nothing, right?”
Listening to Kang Se-na, I realized anew how rapidly the world was adapting to the new system.
Even now, Awakened Ones were diligently collecting calamities, growing stronger, and it was entirely possible that more S-Rank Awakened Ones like me may appear soon.
Actually, China reportedly already possesses one S-Rank Awakened One.
“Anyway, Mr. Nam Joo-yeon, have you received your next mission from the Management Bureau?”
“Just got a directive to protect Seoul during the eruption.”
“Yes. You’re to serve as Seoul’s guardian, using the Storm Dragon to block the calamities’ advance at the core district.”
My next assignment, following the destruction of the Incheon Nest, is to prepare for the incoming third eruption.
There’s no particular reason to worry since it’s not a particularly challenging task.
The third eruption should be similar in scale to the second one.
What concerns me, however, are the 4-Star Calamities that appeared during the previous two eruptions. It seems the government is anxiously preparing for another 4-Star to manifest in this eruption.
‘In any case, it seems that Selene has had a decent conversation with Mirien.’
If what Selene said is true, Mirien will stay quiet and guard her tower during this eruption.
And there is no reason for Selene to deceive me.
“Are you still talking to Mr. Jo Geon-wook?”
I was lost in thought when Kang Se-na suddenly asked.
“Mr. Jo Geon-wook? Hmm, we’ve had intermittent contact since the cleanup of the Incheon Nest a few days ago.”
“…Hmm.”
Kang Se-na’s eyes narrowed.
Did I do something wrong?
“Mr. Nam Joo-yeon, listen carefully. I’m telling you this because we’re in a cooperation relationship.”
“Yes.”
“Keep your distance from Jo Geon-wook.”
Kang Se-na’s expression was unusually serious.
“That person is suspicious of you, Mr. Nam Joo-yeen.”
“…Yeah, I knew that already.”
“Yes. That’s understandable, given the interrogation a while back. However, don’t let your guard down just because he appears friendly. The reason you’re being monitored? Orders from Mr. Jo Geon-wook. And the one who suggested promoting you to S-Rank to make you easier to manage—was also Mr. Jo Geon-wook.”
“…Hmm.”
Well, I remember how during my evacuation to the hotel, Jo Geon-wook managed to track me down by searching pretty much every hotel in Seoul. It seems his obsession is not without foundation.
As I accepted this internally, Kang Se-na shrugged and said,
“Well, his obsession is pretty well-known. Once he gets on to a lead, he doesn’t care if it costs him his life and sticks his teeth in. I used to have a friend at the Management Bureau who rolled his eyes calling him a crazy dog. Moreover, for some inexplicable reason, he’s investigating the Actor.”
“…A-A-ctor?”
The moment I heard the familiar name, it felt like an electric shock.
Before I could blink, Kang Se-na clarified,
“It seems Mr. Jo Geon-wook suspects some kind of connection between you and the Actor. Whenever I ask for details, I just get vague answers about senses or instincts. How would I even know?”
“…”
“Is there any part of this that you can deduce?”
Impossible.
Because I am the Actor.
And Jo Geon-wook has picked up on this trail.
“…No, I have no idea.”
But I shook my head, maintaining a poker face.
Though Kang Se-na didn’t pry further, she turned her chair and said,
“In any case, be careful. Jo Geon-wook aside—since he’s Management Bureau affiliated and can be restrained if necessary—the other dangers are more numerous. There are scouts from other nations and that Actor we just mentioned. Ah, one more piece of advice while we’re at it: It seems the owner of the Abyss, the Actor, has begun active operations. Be cautious.”
“Active operations?”
“The press hasn’t covered it yet, but the Awakened One Management Bureau recently detected some strange trends.”
When Kang Se-na mentioned that the Actor had begun operations, it felt like empty talk.
After all, the Actor is right here.
Does it mean someone is impersonating me?
“Can you provide more details?”
“It’s confidential information among Management Bureau officials, but from what I know… it seems like a new religious group has emerged.”
“…A new… religious… group?”
“Yes. It is called the Ascension Church, and they revere the Abyss’s master, the Actor, as a sage and bishop.”
“…”
It was as if I’d been struck on the back of the head with a hammer.
A sharp headache overwhelmed me.
“Selene, are you there?”
Upon arriving at the hotel room, I turned around and spoke.
Then, a veil descended.
“Yes, Lord, did you call for me?”
“Did you hear our conversation earlier?”
“…How could I eavesdrop on such an important discussion between you, my lord?”
“You heard it all, about the new religious group that reveres the Actor as their bishop.”
Selene exchanged a brief glance with me before bowing her head.
“…Yes. Accidentally, it came to my ears…”
Clearly, she had eavesdropped.
I didn’t blame her. It seemed unlikely she’d stop acting the way she does even if I did scold her.
“Someone is using my name falsely. What would you do in this situation, Selene?”
“They dare falsely assume your great name, Lord. It is only right to rain down fiery retribution and send them to where they belong.”
“…Yeah, I knew you’d say that.”
Of course, asking Selene would result in the radical answer of burning them all to death.
However, after talking with Kang Se-na, I had an idea.
“I’m not sure why a group of followers has appeared to worship me, but maybe it’s better to let them be for now.”
“…Why?”
“Jo Geon-wook is investigating my connection to the Actor. It might be more effective to let him believe we’re two entirely different individuals.”
According to Kang Se-na’s information, Jo Geon-wook is focused on the connection between me and the Actor. Although I don’t understand why he is so fixated on me, his existence will undoubtedly become a significant obstacle to my future activities.
Creating confusion in his investigation may be beneficial, thus it might be advantageous to let groups like the Ascension Church continue for now.
“Still, I should keep track of what this new religious group is doing. They might be involved in inhumane activities.”
“Indeed, Lord…”
“Yes, Selene, I need you to investigate them.”
Currently, among the calamities I control, the only one capable of independent action is the 5-star Blackened Saint Selene.
“Understood, Lord. I shall proceed to investigate this Ascension Church as directed.”
Selene bowed deeply in acknowledgment, but then she slightly raised her head to speak.
“However, Lord, I have one request.”
“What is it?”
“Could the Hellfire Guardian accompany me as part of the entourage for this expedition?”
“…The Hellfire Guardian?”
This was the first time Selene requested any support.
Sensing my suspicion, she quickly shook her head and explained.
“Having the Hellfire Guardian will significantly reduce travel time. Moreover, it could serve as a messenger in case of any unforeseen situations, wouldn’t it?”
“…If you think you need it, Selene, taking him along is fine.”
I nodded.
The Hellfire Guardian is a vital synthesizer for our base, but even without him, I could simply issue orders to the Faded Ghost Lucibel.
What I really worried about was a different matter entirely.
“Are you planning any mischief?”
“Preposterous.”
Selene smiled gently, cutting off my doubts with a single slash.
Though, naturally, I didn’t believe her.
