I stared at Sagong Arin with uneasy eyes as she pulled out a stack of papers and a pencil case from her bag, as if she’d packed all sorts of things for an important, clandestine operation rather than a casual meet-up.
The sheer volume and variety of her bag’s contents suggested a level of preparedness that bordered on the professional, hinting at an imminent delve into something far more involved than a simple conversation.
Her methodical approach, from retrieving the neatly bound papers to organizing her writing instruments, exuded an air of serious intent.
Yeon Hyung-kwang, seemingly curious about her actions, his usual nonchalance momentarily replaced by a flicker of genuine intrigue, led me closer to Sagong Arin’s side, his presence a silent invitation for me to observe.
He positioned himself beside her, his gaze fixed on the unfolding scene, creating an intimate circle of observation around Sagong Arin’s burgeoning workspace.
Yeon Hyung-kwang, with a casual yet deliberate motion, picked up a stack of papers bound with a vibrant red clip.
The color of the clip, a stark contrast to the subdued tones of the paper, seemed almost symbolic of the hidden intensity of their contents.
Something was written all over them, densely packed lines of text in various shades of pen ink, suggesting meticulous detail and extensive investigation.
Perhaps because of the unsettling chat I’d just witnessed, a conversation that had left an inexplicable residue of dread in its wake, I kept having a persistent, nagging bad feeling.
It was a premonition, a cold shiver down my spine that whispered of impending complications and unforeseen revelations.
The sheer volume of information, coupled with the previous unsettling interaction, coalesced into a palpable sense of unease.
I swallowed dryly, the sound echoing in my own ears, my throat feeling parched as if I’d been walking through a desert.
My eyes, wide and focused, followed Yeon Hyung-kwang’s hands as he began to turn the pages one by one, each rustle of paper amplifying my growing apprehension.
He moved with a deliberate slowness, each turn of a page a deliberate act, allowing me to catch glimpses of the meticulously compiled data.
Then, a single sheet, folded neatly in half and tucked almost conspiratorially into the middle of the stack, slipped from the binding and dropped silently to the ground.
It fell with a soft, almost imperceptible whisper, landing innocuously at our feet.
My hand shot out, a reflex born of instinct and an overwhelming surge of curiosity, the moment I saw it.
It was an involuntary, unthinking motion, driven by an urgent need to uncover whatever secrets lay hidden within that folded sheet.
Just as my fingers brushed against the crisp paper, poised to unfold it and devour its contents, Sagong Arin, with a surprising swiftness, intercepted it.
Her hand, equally quick, snatched it away, her voice cutting through the tense silence.
“Oh, that’s information I found out about ‘Dana’ on my own!” she declared, her tone light and almost dismissive, as if it were a trivial detail not worth dwelling on.
The casual revelation sent a jolt through me; the name, my new identity, being bandied about so openly in this context was unsettling.
Sagong Arin, her face radiating a bright, disarming smile that belied the seriousness of the situation, swiftly retrieved the entire stack of papers.
Her smile, wide and seemingly innocent, was almost too perfect, a mask that hid a deeper purpose.
The contents I glimpsed from beside Yeon Hyung-kwang were unsettlingly comprehensive, a veritable trove of information about suspicious awakened individuals, compiled with a chilling level of detail.
Their profiles, actions, and even their suspected abilities were meticulously documented, indicating a systematic and thorough investigation.
It was far more than simple curiosity; it was a well-organized dossier.
“How on earth did you investigate all this…?”
I mumbled, the words escaping my lips almost involuntarily, a testament to my astonishment.
The scope and depth of her findings were truly perplexing, bordering on the impossible for an ordinary person.
It felt like something out of a spy novel, not the result of a casual hobby.
“I’m amazing at gathering information. I’m not a fan club president for nothing,” Sagong Arin replied with an air of playful arrogance, her chest puffed out slightly in mock pride.
Her tone was light, but there was an underlying current of genuine confidence in her voice.
No, this wasn’t just being good at gathering information; this information-gathering ability was clearly beyond that of a mere fan club president.
Her casual explanation felt insufficient, an understatement of a profound talent.
Could she possibly be an awakened person?
The thought, once a fleeting consideration, now solidified in my mind.
Perhaps she had gained an ability specialized precisely in information gathering.
In a world where bizarre and niche abilities were emerging daily – with barista awakened individuals creating coffee with magical properties, chef awakened individuals conjuring gourmet meals from thin air, and even hacker awakened individuals manipulating digital systems with a thought – wouldn’t there be one specialized in gathering intelligence?
The sheer diversity of newly manifested powers made it a plausible, even likely, scenario.
“Are you, by any chance, an awakened person?”
I blurted out, unable to contain my curiosity any longer.
The question hung in the air, direct and probing, challenging her casual facade.
“How did you know?”
Sagong Arin’s eyes widened in genuine surprise at my blunt question, her composure momentarily faltering.
She retorted, her tone one of genuine astonishment, as if asking how I possibly managed to uncover her secret. Her reaction confirmed my suspicion; it was an involuntary admission.
“Well, this level of ability can only be explained by being awakened,” I stated calmly, the logic of the situation making the conclusion unavoidable.
Her surprise was confirmation enough.
I picked up the stack of papers again, this time with a more critical eye, and flipped through them page by page, examining the intricate details.
It seemed she had diligently investigated every lead, every whisper of suspicion.
The dossiers included individuals who weren’t officially registered as awakened but clearly possessed unusual abilities, their actions hinting at clandestine powers.
There were also those whose past actions were highly suspicious, their histories peppered with anomalies that only an awakened ability could explain.
It was a masterclass in covert investigation.
“Actually, I awakened when I got caught in that sudden gate with you guys. I was crying, hugging Hasu, and the status window appeared! Even if I don’t have combat skills, I’m very satisfied with my ability,” Sagong Arin confessed, her voice softening as she recalled the moment of her awakening.
The unexpected and seemingly mundane circumstances of her power’s manifestation were typical of the new wave of awakened individuals.
“Of course. She runs several fan clubs, after all. Having an ability like this would probably be great.”
Her contentment with a non-combat ability, so suited to her existing passion for information, made perfect sense.
As I was flipping through the papers, the half-folded paper I’d picked up earlier, the one that had sparked my initial apprehension, reappeared in the stack.
The paper read: [Lee Dana – Awakened but not registered as an awakened individual. No particularly notable actions.]
“That’s me?”
I asked, attempting to sound nonchalant, as if merely confirming a trivial detail, while showing her the paper.
My heart, however, hammered against my ribs with a frantic rhythm.
Sagong Arin clapped her hands together, a sound of sudden realization, as if she’d completely forgotten that I was even on her list.
“Oh, right! I’ve put you on the candidate list for now. I was actually planning to ask you about that too. In fact, I’m not investigating this on my own; I’m doing it at the request of the Dungeon Management Bureau.”
Her words delivered a fresh jolt of alarm.
“Ahhh…?”
My response was a weak, drawn-out sound, a mixture of surprise and growing dread.
So, the ‘fuss about finding the 0th ranked person’ that I had heard whispers about earlier, the elusive figure that everyone was desperate to find, referred to this ongoing investigation.
This was the work she was getting into – a critical, high-stakes hunt for an individual of paramount importance. I never imagined that an awakened individual with specialized information-gathering abilities would be among those actively digging into my very identity.
It was an unforeseen complication, a direct threat to my carefully constructed anonymity.
Before I possessed this body, before the world fractured and abilities manifested, there weren’t so many awakened individuals with such diverse and nuanced abilities in the first place.
At most, abilities were limited to those directly related to dungeon strategies: formidable combat abilities for confronting monsters, specialized weapon manufacturing for crafting tools of war, and powerful healing abilities to mend the wounded.
The emergence of such specific and non-combat-oriented powers was a new, dangerous variable.
A trickle of cold sweat ran down my back, a tangible manifestation of my growing fear.
‘The dungeon difficulty increased because of me, and ironically, because of that, they need the 0th ranked person, so everyone’s desperate to find out my identity…’
The sheer irony of the situation was almost unbearable.
My actions, intended to secure my survival and progression, had inadvertently created a situation where my very existence became a target of intense scrutiny.
What kind of twisted fate was this?
How would everyone react if they knew that the elusive, revered 0th ranked person, the one they desperately sought, was also directly responsible for the sudden, drastic increase in dungeon difficulty, the very cause of their heightened peril?
The thought was terrifying, a nightmare scenario where I was simultaneously the solution and the problem.
‘At least it’s a relief that they think there are no particularly notable actions?’
The small mercy was that Sagong Arin’s meticulous investigation had thus far concluded that my activities were unremarkable, at least on paper.
This offered a sliver of hope, a temporary reprieve.
I had indeed moved somewhat secretly, cautiously, doing my best to remain undetected.
Although I was caught by Do Yi-hyun, the formidable 2nd ranked individual, his extraordinary perception and abilities made that almost inevitable.
His unique insight had allowed him to pierce through my veil of secrecy.
Still, the risk of being caught by Sagong Arin, whose abilities were seemingly focused on information gathering rather than direct confrontation or supernatural perception, seemed comparatively low, which relieved me a little.
Knowing that her conclusions, however incomplete, currently marked me as non-threatening was a small victory.
Now that I roughly knew about the key individuals and organizations digging into my past, I was confident about how to act in the future.
The information she provided, however unsettling, was also a strategic advantage. It gave me a clearer picture of the battlefield, allowing me to formulate a plan to navigate the treacherous waters of my new reality.
Gulp—
The sound of me swallowing dryly from nervousness seemed unusually loud in the quiet air, a stark indicator of my internal turmoil.
It felt like the entire world could hear the frantic beating of my heart.
I tilted my head back, my gaze scanning the towering building in front of me, its gleaming facade reflecting the sunlight like a massive, impenetrable fortress.
Then, I stared with empty, somewhat resigned eyes at the revolving door, a portal through which a steady stream of people flowed.
Employees with official IDs draped around their necks moved with purposeful strides, their faces set with determination.
Alongside them, an equally diverse group of awakened individuals, identifiable by their confident bearing and the subtle, almost imperceptible aura of power, belonging to various guilds, came and went, their presence a constant reminder of the new world order.
‘So, I’m finally officially active.’
The thought settled in my mind with a mix of dread and reluctant acceptance.
There was no escaping it now. I was on Sagong Arin’s list of suspicious ‘Dana’ candidates, a ticking time bomb of potential exposure.
I couldn’t continue living without officially registering as an awakened individual indefinitely; doing so would only amplify suspicion, drawing unwanted attention to my unique circumstances.
First, I needed to register as an awakened individual to avoid immediate scrutiny and to integrate into the new system.
Then, for the time being, I absolutely must not let it be known that I was an awakened individual whose rank could increase, whose very existence defied the established norms.
This was the critical secret, the one that could unravel everything.
Since the possession, the world had undergone radical changes.
Strange systems like the omnipresent chat windows, buzzing with snippets of information, and the daunting ranking lists, broadcasting the power levels of the strongest, had inexplicably appeared.
Moreover, quite a few people had awakened with peculiar, niche abilities, like the aforementioned barista awakened individuals, adding to the growing complexity of the world.
So, perhaps someday, an awakened individual whose rank could increase, someone like me, would eventually appear.
Then, and only then, could I safely announce the fact that I could increase my rank, emerging as a latecomer to this unprecedented phenomenon.
It was a long-term strategy, a gamble on the future.
‘To think I’d voluntarily come to the Hunter Association for a rank test and awakened individual registration.’
The irony was not lost on me.
My previous self, the one who had vehemently resisted any involvement with the awakened world, would be aghast.
However, the pressing need to avoid suspicion, to blend seamlessly into the new societal structure, dictated my current actions.
I needed to start official activities, ideally as part of a recognized guild, to avoid further scrutiny and to solidify my new identity.
With dragging steps, each one a small act of defiance against my own reluctance, I barely managed to pass through the grand revolving door.
The familiar lobby, which I’d visited only once before under vastly different circumstances, now seemed to welcome me with a strangely ambivalent embrace.
The memory of that previous, fear-filled visit lingered like a phantom ache.
I rushed straight to the information desk, a beacon of normalcy in this chaotic world, where a friendly, perpetually smiling employee greeted me.
Her professional demeanor was reassuring, and she immediately asked my purpose for visiting, her practiced inquiry ending with a knowing question: “Wondering if you had awakened?”
“Yes. I’d like to get a rank assessment,” I replied, my voice steady despite the flutter in my chest.
The words, once so impossible to utter, now came out with a surprising ease.
As if on cue, the same employee who had guided Yeon Hyung-kwang and me during our previous, brief visit to the association came over to the information desk.
Her eyes lit up in recognition when she saw me, and she greeted me warmly, her smile genuine.
“Oh, hello! You’re Blood Scent Guild Leader’s friend, aren’t you?”
Her familiarity was both comforting and slightly unnerving.
The employee, ever efficient, offered to guide me to the rank assessment room, taking the lead and walking ahead with a brisk pace.
“As you know from your last visit, the rank assessment room is closest to the lobby. Many people come and go for rank assessments, so we had to put the assessment room in the lobby for convenience.”
She explained, her voice pleasant and informative.
Listening to her explanation, I remembered briefly stopping by there on my last visit, a hasty, almost terrified glance into the room before taking the elevator to go to the lounge on the second floor.
At that time, I was consumed by terror and vehemently declared that I had no intention of getting assessed, my denial driven by fear and a desperate desire to remain hidden.
We had then left, my identity still a secret, my future uncertain.
How things had changed.
***
We crossed the vast, echoing lobby, its polished floors gleaming under the bright lights, and entered the Rank Assessment Room, which was indeed conveniently located close to the main entrance.
The Rank Assessment Room itself had a surprisingly simple setup, a testament to the efficient, almost sterile approach to categorizing awakened individuals.
It wasn’t a large space, as it didn’t require much room for its singular, critical function.
The walls were a uniform, pristine white, reflecting the bright overhead lighting, creating an almost clinical atmosphere.
In the very center of this unadorned area, standing on a small, elevated platform, was the enigmatic item for rank assessment.
It looked remarkably unremarkable, an ordinary, smooth, greyish stone, almost like a river stone, devoid of any discernible markings or intricate designs.
The process was deceptively simple: you merely placed your hand on what appeared to be this ordinary stone, and after a brief moment of silent communion, the assessment result would magically appear on the stone’s surface.
It was a stark contrast to the dramatic, often violent, displays of power associated with awakened abilities.
I walked slowly towards the center, my heart pounding a frantic rhythm against my ribs, each beat echoing loudly in my ears.
I took a deep, shaky breath, attempting to calm my nerves, to steady the tremor in my hands. Following the employee’s clear, concise instructions, I carefully placed my hand on the smooth, cool surface of the white stone.
It felt surprisingly inert, like any other piece of rock, yet I knew it held the key to my immediate future.
[A]
I’d heard the rumors, the whispers circulating among the newly awakened, that only a single alphabet would appear on the measurement device, a concise, almost blunt declaration of one’s power level.
And it was true.
A vibrant, luminous blue ‘A’ materialized on the white stone’s surface, glowing with an ethereal light for a brief, mesmerizing moment.
The blue seemed to pulse, a silent affirmation of my rank, before slowly, gradually, vanishing after a short while, leaving the stone as blank and unassuming as before.
It was a fleeting display, yet profoundly impactful.
In the meantime, the employee, her tablet already in hand, efficiently confirmed my rank, her fingers flying across the screen as she entered the data.
With a final tap, she informed me that I was officially registered, her voice brimming with professional warmth.
“Now that your personal information is registered with the Association, you are qualified to join a guild and operate, or apply to be a civil servant hunter. Congratulations!”
Her words offered a tangible sense of legitimacy, a formal entry into this new world.
“Oh, you could even join your friend’s guild. Blood Scent? Isn’t that the dream guild everyone awakened wants? I’m a fan of their guild leader, and I’ve even joined the fan club…”
She continued, her enthusiasm for Yeon Ha-yeon and her guild bubbling over, a torrent of praise and personal anecdotes.
As she spoke, her voice fading into a distant hum, my eyes slowly lost focus, my gaze drifting away from her animated face.
This employee, while undeniably very kind and nice, possessed an extraordinary talent for talking, for filling every available moment with an unending stream of words.
She was a fount of information, but also a relentless conversationalist.
I could only escape her effusive praises of Yeon Ha-yeon and her detailed stories about her fan club activities after enduring what felt like an eternity, navigating the entire length of the lobby with her trailing behind me, still chattering. Her enthusiasm was infectious, but also utterly draining.
No, I thought I would finally escape.
The sweet taste of freedom was almost on my tongue.
Until I saw them.
The Yeon siblings, Yeon Ha-yeon and Yeon Hyung-kwang, entering through the revolving door, their figures silhouetted against the bright outdoor light, their very presence announcing their arrival.
My heart sank.
“Dana? What brings you here?”
Yeon Ha-yeon’s voice, clear and melodious, cut through the lobby’s background hum.
Her eyes lit up with recognition, and she happily rushed over, her movements fluid and graceful, before embracing me in a warm, unexpected hug.
“Noona! Did you come to see us?”
Yeon Hyung-kwang’s voice, a surprised exclamation, followed close behind.
The employee, ever vigilant and quick to capture a moment, stood about five steps away, already busy taking pictures of us with her tablet, her face alight with fanatical delight.
“I figured it was time for an official registration,” I explained, my voice a little muffled by Yeon Ha-yeon’s embrace.
“Yes! You came for a rank assessment. Perhaps because you’re Yeon Ha-yeon’s friend, you got an A-rank! I think you’d fit right in at Blood Scent!”
The employee, unable to contain her excitement, chimed in, preempting my own explanation.
She practically shouted my rank, broadcasting it for anyone within earshot to hear.
Yeon Ha-yeon, who was hearing my rank for the first time, beamed, her face radiating pure joy.
She grabbed my hand, shaking it vigorously up and down, her excitement contagious.
“So you’re finally thinking of joining a guild?! Then of course you have to come to our guild!” she declared, her voice filled with unwavering conviction.
There was no room for discussion, no possibility of another option in her mind.
“There’s no need to even think about it. Welcome to Blood Scent, Noona,” Yeon Hyung-kwang added, his tone equally confident, as if my joining Blood Scent was an already established fact.
He even clapped, a welcoming gesture for a new, esteemed guild member, completely oblivious to my internal turmoil.
“No, wait a minute. I’m not thinking of joining a guild yet,” I interjected, trying to inject a note of hesitant caution into their celebratory mood.
“Huh? No, why?”
Yeon Ha-yeon blinked her sharp eyes, their usual intensity momentarily replaced by confusion.
She couldn’t seem to comprehend my decision, her brow furrowed in genuine perplexity.
‘Because Do Yi-hyun found out my true identity…’
The real reason, a heavy secret, weighed on my tongue. I couldn’t bring myself to tell them the truth, the full, complicated reality of my situation.
So, I vaguely made an excuse, something about needing more time to consider my options, and smoothly transitioned to another topic, hoping to divert their attention.
Thankfully, neither of them seemed to find my sudden hesitation particularly strange, their focus easily redirected by my change of subject.
“What brings you two here?”
I asked, seizing the opportunity to shift the conversation.
“There’s an annoying organization these days. We came to stomp them out and decided to take a short break since we’re in the area,” Yeon Ha-yeon explained, her tone casual, as if discussing a trivial errand.
Her words, however, hinted at a darker, more violent undertone.
“Ah…”
It dawned on me again, with a sudden, chilling clarity, that Yeon Ha-yeon was not just a powerful awakened individual, but also a gang leader who had grown up in a gang family.
Her background, steeped in a world of territorial disputes and ruthless power struggles, explained her nonchalant attitude towards “stomping out” rival organizations.
I followed the Yeon siblings to the lounge, my mind racing, pondering whether it would be better to join Onsaemiro or Blood Scent, the two prominent guilds vying for my allegiance.
Each option presented its own set of risks and benefits, and I needed to weigh them carefully.
“After the gates opened, many organizations started feeling inferior to those with high-ranking awakened individuals. There are some trying to solidify their position through dirty methods, you see.”
Yeon Ha-yeon’s voice was laced with a hint of disdain, and she squinted one eye as if looking at something pathetic.
She meant that even if these smaller, less powerful organizations attempted to engage in traditional gang fights like before, those with high-ranking awakened individuals, like herself, could never be defeated.
Their raw power and unique abilities rendered conventional tactics obsolete.
As a result, these desperate groups resorted to underhanded, clandestine tactics, trying to gain an advantage through cunning rather than strength.
A scene of bloody chaos erupted in the construction site, a desolate expanse of concrete and steel.
Groans of pain escaped from various corners, echoing eerily among the skeletal structures of unfinished buildings.
This grim tableau was the direct consequence of Yeon Ha-yeon’s organization, Yeonhwa, having just swept away the Baekho organization, a former rival, under the somewhat ironic pretext of ‘for a clean gang society.’
It was a brutal display of dominance, a clear message delivered with overwhelming force.
“Damn it, that little brat…!”
A burly man, his face contorted in a mask of pain and fury, barely managed to get his bloodied body up from the ground. He looked around with wild, desperate eyes, surveying the devastation.
He couldn’t stand seeing his subordinates sprawled on the ground, many unconscious, their bodies testament to the overwhelming force they had just faced.
He’d always thought Yeon Ha-yeon was unusual, even as a child, with her sharp mind and ruthless ambition.
But his teeth gnashed in impotent rage as he thought of her reaching an unapproachable level after awakening, her power soaring beyond anything he could have ever imagined.
She was no longer just a formidable rival; she was an unstoppable force.
He was about to snort in anger, a final act of defiance, rally his few remaining subordinates, and retreat from the ruined construction site when, “Who piled up corpses in our hideout?”
A sharp whistle sound cut through the tense air, followed by a youthful voice that grated on the burly man’s already frayed nerves.
It was a voice filled with a confident arrogance that Baek Gun-ho, the boss of the Baekho organization, found utterly infuriating.
He sharply turned his head towards the sound, his eyes narrowed, searching for the source of this fresh insult.
Students in navy school uniforms, looking every bit like the stereotypical delinquents, with their casually unbuttoned shirts and defiant postures, were fearlessly entering the construction site.
Their arrival, unannounced and utterly without hesitation, was a final, infuriating blow to Baek Gun-ho’s already shattered pride.