It was obvious that Kang Se-na was quite shaken, even from her first greeting.
“Goodness, isn’t that Mr. Nam Joo-yeon, Guardian of Seoul and Maestro as well as the Dragon King?”
Normally, she would have greeted me in such a manner, but after seeing me, she merely gave a slight nod of her head. Her complexion had turned deathly pale.
It seemed that Seo Ye-rin’s disappearance had come as a great shock to her.
“Did she go missing here?”
“Yes, Seo Ye-rin’s communicator, along with the belongings of other missing Awakened Ones, was found here. It’s clear something happened around here.”
Kang Se-na bit her lip and looked around. Besides a few signs of battle, the area was overly clean.
“Seems like we won’t find anything significant. Without CCTV footage, it’s even less likely now.”
Considering that the park already had minimal foot traffic, and that civilians had hidden in bunkers during the Calamity Rift’s eruption where this disappearance occurred, it was nearly impossible for Kang Se-na to find any clues. Similarly, expecting meaningful results from the Management Bureau’s investigators would be fruitless as well.
“What was Seo Ye-rin doing here?”
“Hmm. This is Seoul Forest, the jurisdiction of Squad 7 that she led, but there was no real reason for her, as captain, to come herself.”
“…Hmm.”
“According to other Awakened Ones, it appears that when the Awakened Ones of Seoul Forest didn’t respond, she came here directly… Therefore, it’s clear that something happened here. Mr. Nam Joo-yeon, do you have any Disaster under your command equipped with investigation skills?”
“Well, there’s Luciven.”
With a nod, I summoned the 3-Star Calamity, the Faded Specter Luciven, to survey the area. Soon enough, Luciven found some clue just a few meters away.
“Lightning…?”
Marks resembling lightning spread across the nearby vegetation. The areas touched by the marks were, for some reason, scorched black.
“This… seems to be the work of a Calamity.”
Kang Se-na’s expression darkened.
Was she imagining the worst-case scenario for Seo Ye-rin? To be truthful, her concerns weren’t far from what actually happened—I hadn’t told her, but in truth, Storm Mirien from the North Sea had taken Seo Ye-rin.
“I’ll head back now. I’ll inform the Management Bureau…”
Kang Se-na spoke nervously while looking at me.
“Mr. Nam Joo-yeen.”
“Yes. If I can help, I should. After all, she’s an S-Rank Awakened One, as you mentioned, right?”
In an attempt to lighten the mood, I made a joke, but Kang Se-na could only give an awkward smile.
“Thank you, Nam Joo-yeen. It’s fortunate that you’re here.”
It wasn’t as if I had expected her gratitude.
“Hmm.”
An unexpected reaction.
After Kang Se-na returned to the Management Bureau, I remained at the scene. Moving nearby to a public restroom, I made sure no one was watching before summoning Selene. The unpleasant odor wafting from the men’s room caused Selene’s brow to wrinkle slightly.
Unbothered, I questioned her.
“Selene, exactly what did Mirien do? You were there, right?”
“…I am no wizard, so I don’t know exactly the magic Mirien used. However, it’s certain the lightning that she discharged attacked that woman.”
“Did it kill her?”
“No. If Mirien had intended to kill her, the moment the lightning struck the woman, her body would have disintegrated. But that didn’t happen, and Mirien transported her personally.”
“Could she be initiating her into the Ascension Cult?”
“Probably.”
Regardless, things had become complicated.
Mirien seems to be gathering Awakened Ones from various places, and her purpose is to steal their Calamities to form an army.
This Calamity, already extremely dangerous by herself, is now gathering her own army.
Whatever the case, it was a perilous situation.
“What do you think Mirien will do if she gathers her army fully?”
“Conquer the world and then offer it to her Lord.”
“…”
Indeed.
Calamities follow their ruler’s will. Every ruler’s ultimate goal is to become the Absolute Sovereign of the world. Mirien is merely following her own criteria faithfully for that purpose.
However, I have yet to determine my own path amidst the upheaval in this world. And my subordinate certainly isn’t stupid enough to want to destroy the world.
At least, not yet.
“Selene, could you track Mirien?”
“I apologize, my Lord, but I don’t possess tracking skills. I only have skills for covert movement.”
Upon hearing this, memories from the game surfaced.
Selene is a Calamity specialized in combat, even among 5-Star Calamities. Her living skills, such as synthesis and tracking or investigative skills, are practically nonexistent.
“Then how did you find Mirien last time?”
“I received assistance from the Hellfire Guardian.”
Upon reflection, I remembered that the Hellfire Guardian did possess tracking skills.
In the Disaster Order, tracking skills were mostly disregarded as nearly useless, but in this reality, they had become quite handy. Was the reason Selene had asked if she could travel with the Hellfire Guardian previously for the purpose of tracking?
“So, couldn’t you just ask the Hellfire Guardian to track Mirien?”
“Mirien is not stupid. By the time I realized her intentions, she would have thoroughly erased her tracks. Though I don’t approve of her methods, once Mirien decides to hide, no one in this world can find her. At least not unless it’s someone like Carny specialized in pursuit and assassination…”
“…Then, how about going directly to the Tower?”
It seems that Mirien’s whereabouts are unknown; wouldn’t it be easier to just go directly to her main base?
“It’s dangerous, my Lord.”
“Even if it’s dangerous, according to what you’ve said, Mirien wouldn’t harm me directly, right?”
“That is true… but…”
“Moreover, Selene, there’s no reason for you to lie to me, is there? Or have you lied to me so far?”
“Of course not!”
It seemed like I was starting to get the hang of how to handle Selene.
With a shrug, I turned my head to look at Mirien’s tower.
Seoul Forest is quite far from Yeouido, but the 21st-century Tower of Babel, towering as if to touch the sky, was clearly visible.
“And don’t worry; I plan to go with you, Selene. If anything happens, you can protect me, can’t you?”
“…Yes. I’ll protect you with my life.”
“Only… the problem here will be the eyes of the people.”
Mirien’s tower is already under police and military control.
It’s not something we can just barge into, nor should we.
However, I had the means to cut through all that.
The S-Class Awakened One’s title grants me authority even stronger than that of congressmen or the president in emergencies.
I picked up my phone and dialed a number stored in my contacts.
It took less than three rings.
“Nam Joo-yeon?”
The Bureau Chief Yoo Jun-seo answered the call with a mix of skepticism.
This was the first time I had called the Bureau Chief directly. Accordingly, a certain tension was evident in his voice through the receiver. What would this unpredictable S-Class Awakened One say?
“Yes. This is Nam Joo-yeon. I have a favor to ask, and it’s kind of urgent.”
“Eh, sure. Of course, we’ll help the esteemed S-Class. But next time, could you follow procedures and protocols…”
“I’m going to attack the Tower in Yeouido. Please clear out the police forces.”
At that, a choking sound came through the phone.
—
More than 50% of all Awakened Ones in South Korea are concentrated in Seoul. If we include the metropolitan area, nearly 70% are gathered in one region.
In contrast, the provinces are significantly lacking in Awakened Ones. Despite massive casualties occurring with each Rift eruption, the media thoroughly controlled the reporting of such facts.
“Damn it all, now they’re just praising the Miracle of the Han River and doing their own thing like crazy.”
The Awakened Ones of Daejeon were no exception.
Tired Awakened Ones wanted to migrate to Seoul, and dozens of them left. Protecting the vast expanse of Daejeon’s land relied on about two hundred Awakened Ones, among whom only about 30% were actually of practical assistance.
In the meantime, public authorities were determined to keep these Awakened Ones tightly bound.
Already, signs of division had appeared, and it was inevitable that Awakened Ones would take action.
They desired to establish a new nation for the Awakened Ones. The exhausted Awakened Ones founded a new community and occupied an abandoned city near Daejeon.
“We’ve heard the term “Republic of Seoul”, haven’t we? So we’re the Republic of Daejeon, right?”
What once began as a joke about military fiefs becoming a reality.
Awakened Ones had come to hold effective control over Daejeon, and the gathered Awakened Ones had enough force to defend a small area.
Awakened One Jeon Tae-min was among them.
He was not affiliated with the Management Bureau, nor was he a government lackey, but he was a powerful Awakened One wielding two 3-Star Calamities.
Thanks to his contributions, Daejeon managed the third Rift eruption smoothly, and Jeon Tae-min was recommended as the leader of the new republic. He was the kind of person who wouldn’t even reject a rotten laurel.
“To be honest, isn’t Brother Jeon Tae-min greater than Seoul’s Dragon King? That guy receives all sorts of support while we built everything from the ground up, right?”
“That’s true.”
“If Seoul’s bastards already have two 4-Star Calamities, they’ll crumble soon. When that happens, if those Management Bureau bastards come groveling to us, we won’t listen.”
“That’s true as well.”
“How about we invade Seoul with our guys when the fourth or fifth Rift eruption occurs? By that time, our guys will have plenty of 3-Star Calamities. Wouldn’t it be worth fighting even against the military?”
“Don’t talk nonsense. It’s not the right time yet.”
While listening to his subordinates’ empty flattery, Awakened One Jeon Tae-min smirked.
Looking at the news on his phone, he watched the video of S-Class Awakened One Nam Joo-yeon commanding the Storm Dragon. It was undoubtedly a grand spectacle, but Jeon Tae-min felt no particular excitement.
“Hey, are 4-Star Calamities really that scary? We could fight them if we gather our people, couldn’t we?”
Jeon Tae-min mentioned this half-jokingly.
Just then, refreshing the page, a new news article appeared.
[S-Class Awakened One Nam Joo-yeon Declares Attack on Yeouido Tower]
“Huh?”
Jeon Tae-min inwardly rolled his eyes.
Yeouido Tower. He had also seen the video of the soldiers attempting to approach it only to be mercilessly slaughtered.
Declaring an attack knowing this – it simply didn’t make sense.
“Hey, it seems this S-Class guy is trying to kill himself. Did you see this?”
Jeon Tae-min sought agreement from his subordinate.
But there was no answer.
Jeon Tae-min felt a slight irritation. Hadn’t this guy been groveling all over him just a moment ago?
Why the silence? Only now did he sense the oddity and turn around.
His subordinate’s neck had twisted, his wide-open mouth revealing a dangling tongue.
“…”
They say that when a person is extremely shocked, they can’t speak.
Behind the startled Jeon Tae-min, someone approached.
“Ugh!”
Before Jeon Tae-min could even resist, he fell over.
No, his wrist was twisted, preventing him from falling straight. Instead, he hung awkwardly from the desk.
He soon felt an icy chill on his wrist. Delicate white fingers gripped the phone he had been holding.
“…You! You’re…!”
Jeon Tae-min’s eyes widened.
More than his own shocked face, the intruder – Mirien of the North Sea’s Storm – wore a far more startled expression.
Her gaze was locked onto the phone screen he had been looking at until moments ago.
[S-Class Awakened One Nam Joo-yeon Declares Attack on Yeouido Tower]
Mirien’s gaze lingered on the article for a while.
Then her light pink lips parted, and a trembling voice emerged.
“A-ACTOR… is after… me…?”
The delicate voice trembled more than Jeon Tae-min, who was under the threat of death.
—
