[A Rift is erupting.]
[Various calamities can be collected from a Rift eruption.]
[Defeat the calamities and subdue them. The subdued calamities will become loyal minions to bolster your base.]
[The eruption will end in 6 hours.]
The message displayed before her eyes. Staring at the status window, B-Rank Awakened One Seo Ye-rin slapped her cheeks and rallied herself.
“Hoo. Seo Ye-rin, you can do it.”
This was the third eruption since the world changed.
During the first eruption, Seo Ye-rin locked herself indoors, trembling with fear. During the second eruption, she mustered the courage to leave her home. Thanks to her luck, she farmed two 2-star calamities and received B-Rank Awakened One certification along with a recruitment offer from the Awakened One Management Bureau.
And this third eruption.
Seo Ye-rin was now a legitimate member of the Seoul Management Bureau as an Awakened One.
She waited for the incoming calamities armed with a bow-shaped artifact.
[…7th Squad, do you copy?]
“Yes, I hear you loud and clear.”
[In case of any abnormality, contact us on this frequency.]
The voice report from the Management Bureau control tower reached her through the radio device attached to her chest.
Seo Ye-rin’s current assignment was to command and manage the 7th squad of Awakened Ones.
With only a dozen or so B-Rank Awakened Ones in Seoul, Seo Ye-rin was entrusted with the important role of leading a squad.
The 7th squad’s jurisdiction was Seongdong District.
Though not very large, it was an essential transportation hub of Seoul that required her full effort to defend.
Such was the burden that rested heavily on Seo Ye-rin’s shoulders…
[Don’t worry. Things should go fine.]
“How can you be so sure?”
In response to Seo Ye-rin’s question, the bureau officer on the other side of the radio replied in a relaxed tone.
[Well, we’ve got our guardian, don’t we?]
“…That’s true.”
Seo Ye-rin chuckled in agreement. Then she turned her head to look at the bureau building in the distance.
A man stood on the rooftop.
S-Rank Awakened One Nam Joo-yeon, whom she’d accompanied to exterminate the storm dragon’s nest in Incheon Port just the other day, stood there observing the countless calamities spilling out of the rift above him.
Subsequently, Nam Joo-yeon lifted his hand into the air.
And then something extraordinary happened.
[4★ Storm Dragon Tempestra is roaring.]
All of a sudden, a huge shadow loomed over Nam Joo-yeon.
It was a wyvern with azure scales.
Storm Dragon Tempestra spread its wings wide.
Coinciding with this, the calamities emerging from the Rift, likely overwhelmed by the storm dragon Tempestra’s imposing figure, ran for their lives, and the Awakened Ones took the opportunity to stab their weapons into the calamities’ unprotected backs.
[2★ Crystal Spider has been defeated.]
[Reward: 30Exp / 2★ Crystal Spider]
Seo Ye-rin also didn’t miss the chance to hunt down the fleeing calamities.
Driving her weapon into the runaway calamities’ backs was even easier than lying down to eat rice cakes.
It felt almost too smooth.
“…S-Rank really is different.”
Seo Ye-rin sincerely admired.
She had seen this before even while on a helicopter; the power of an S-Rank Awakened One was truly something remarkable.
With Nam Joo-yeon as the focal point, containing the eruption had turned into a simple pastime.
The influence of a single person was far too immense.
Right now, the massive dragon soaring in the sky, spewing breath attacks across the ground, seemed like a god descended into this world.
Wielding a 4-star calamity. Isn’t it just like commanding a deity?
[2★ Root Lantern Tree Spirit has been defeated.]
[Reward: 30Exp / 2★ Root Lantern Tree Spirit]
“7th Squad, how’s the situation there?”
[There are a lot of them, but they’re all running away in panic.]
At that moment, reports came through the radio from her squad members handling the calamities spread across Seoul Forest.
It wouldn’t be difficult.
Reports from other squads that occasionally came through the radio also indicated that no significant accidents occurred so far.
Everything was going smoothly.
All thanks to the newly-promoted S-Rank Awakened One, Nam Joo-yeon.
“Ah, that’s right. Video.”
Forgetting that she was in the middle of a mission, Seo Ye-rin pulled out her phone and started filming Nam Joo-yeon commanding Tempestra.
As the sky brightened, Tempestra’s flight was captured clearly on the screen.
This video would undoubtedly surpass 100 million views.
“…He’s amazing.”
Seo Ye-rin genuinely thought that this plain-looking man was cool.
Unlike herself who was holed up at home out of fear during the first eruption, Nam Joo-yeon had worked miracles without fear, even when dozens of people were dying during the storm dragon extermination.
His figure was something almost akin to an object of faith.
“Huh. This isn’t the time.”
Realizing her lapse, Seo Ye-rin swept away the surrounding calamities.
As time went by, the number of calamities roaming within her jurisdiction began to decrease.
Just when she was about to raise her radio device to make a report, Seo Ye-rin felt a sense of unease.
All of a sudden, the radio device had become eerily quiet.
“…Se… Seoul Forest? Are you there? How’s the situation there? Why aren’t you responding?”
[…]
The radio only responded with a chilling silence.
Thinking that the common frequency might be wrong, she turned the dial, but there was still no response.
“…Hmm?”
A chill ran down Seo Ye-rin’s spine.
The sudden silence of the radio. Simultaneously, an overly unnatural stillness surrounded her.
It was too suspicious to simply assume that the calamities were all scared and fled.
As the leader of Squad 7, Seo Ye-rin herself had to take responsibility.
“…”
With a small groan, Seo Ye-rin hurriedly ran towards Seoul Forest. Since all routes were controlled, it didn’t take her long.
Running along the trail for a while, Seo Ye-rin froze upon seeing two women standing in the middle of the park.
And the conspicuous five stars floating above their heads.
[5★ The Blackened Saint Selene]
[5★ Storm Mirien of the North Sea]
“…”
She couldn’t possibly not know their names.
They were among the four Great Calamities at the apex of the system of the new world.
At the same time, Seo Ye-rin realized why nearby calamities had run away. With two Great Calamities possessing overwhelming power existing in the same time and place, there wouldn’t be any calamities nearby to dare approach.
She reacted instinctively, hiding behind a nearby tree and covering her mouth.
‘What are they talking about? More importantly, what about my squad members?’
Could they have been killed by these two?
Soon Seo Ye-rin noticed the subtle tension between the two calamities.
Though she couldn’t hear the content of their conversation from the distance, Selene had her hand on the hilt of the sword tied to her waist while Mirien had her index finger pointed at her opponent.
Their expressions were cold.
Cold enough to make Seo Ye-rin, who was observing from a distance, feel a chill down to her bones.
‘Are they… fighting?’
Whatever it was, it was a huge event.
Seo Ye-rin carefully lifted her phone camera and began filming the two of them.
*
The sentiment The Blackened Saint Selene held for her Lord Actor was nothing more than simple devotion.
Simple, but too deep to gauge its depth.
That’s why Selene couldn’t stand idle while Mirien orchestrated her scheme.
“Ascension Order. Is your castle-sandcastle tiresome already? Is this an attempt at some childish play now?”
“Childish play? You’re blowing it out of proportion. All of this will serve as the foundation for Actor’s grand plan.”
Selene’s sarcasm was met with a snigger from Mirien.
Though an everyday conversation was exchanged, the atmosphere between them was anything but.
Once temporary comrades under the ruler of rifts, Actor, their essence was as Great Calamities who had wiped out an entire world.
As soon as these two let out hostility, not a single thing dared approach nearby. Even the Hellfire Guardian who accompanied Selene couldn’t come close, circling only at the edge of the crater.
Under the volatile tension, The Blackened Saint Selene spoke.
“What do you intend to accomplish by collecting calamities?”
With a frown, Selene questioned.
The organization made by Mirien was a gathering of Awakened Ones. She was building an army using calamities possessed by her subordinate Awakened Ones.
Forcing calamities to command other calamities, usually possible only temporarily within nests, was something unconventional. Mirien, however, was an unconventional existence. She had devised a workaround, brainwashing numerous Awakened Ones to summon calamities.
“What do you plan to achieve leading your followers and collecting calamities?”
“I’ve already said it. Ascension Order. We will transcend the heavens, just as Actor did.”
“Doesn’t seem like these followers are willingly following you. Brainwashed, are they?”
“Yes, for now.”
Mirien nodded.
She raised her hand, placing it on the crown of an Awakened One she had just brainwashed. The unfocused Awakened One was but a pawn controlled by Mirien’s words.
“Eventually, they’ll all understand.”
“At the last dimension, did you tell the hundreds of thousands of lives you killed the same thing?”
“Shut up.”
The tension flipped in an instant.
Lightning crackled in Mirien’s face.
“Bitch, you’re in no position to speak.”
“Fair enough. We both have skills in slaughter.”
With a bitter smile, Selene agreed.
Mirien retracted her lightning and continued her words.
“Whore, you shouldn’t worry. All this will serve as fertilizer for Actor. The basis for his plan’s actualization.”
“That’s a relieving answer, yet my Lord doesn’t seem to appreciate your deviation much.”
“I’m aware. Since you’ve already informed me that he chose you over me.”
Selene’s brows furrowed.
A cruel smile crossed Mirien’s lips.
“Still, as you know, I’m the ambitious type.”
Mirien pointed at Selene with her finger. She kept it for a moment before bending it inward, letting it rest on her chest.
“I’m more useful to Actor than you. He needs to become aware of this fact. This is just part of the process of proof.”
“You seem to have grossly misinterpreted my past advice.”
“Shut up. Whether it’s Asteria, Carné, or you, Selene, anyone who tries to stop me will become my enemy.”
“Do you have the courage to say this directly to Lord Actor?”
Selene’s cutting comment twisted Mirien’s face.
Yet, it lasted only a moment.
With a smirk, Mirien retracted her hand.
“Don’t worry. When the time comes, Actor will understand. I am to be his partner.”
“…A trifling sense of pride. How can you be this ignorant?”
“And furthermore…”
Interrupting Selene’s words, Mirien shifted her gaze.
She was the quintessential wizard.
She always checked her surroundings before making any grand movement.
Mirien’s eyes focused on a distant point.
“There’s a rat spying on us.”
“Indeed, I have confirmed it. Shall we eliminate it?”
“Affirmative.”
Selene made no move to stop Mirien. A conflict between the two in this situation would not be pleasing to their Lord. Handling the spy, on the other hand, would align with the Lord’s wishes.
Nevertheless, it wasn’t possible to let Mirien have free rein.
Selene closed one eye and softly mentioned,
“…For the record, our Lord dislikes killing.”
“…”
Mirien glanced at Selene from the corner of her eyes and frowned.
“I’m aware.”
[5★ Storm Mirien of the North Sea is casting skill 「Chain Lightning」.]
Simultaneously, threads of lightning erupted from her outstretched hand.
The azure chains instantly enveloped Awakened One Seo Ye-rin hiding behind a tree.
