Whether it’s unfortunate or fortunate.
The shocking news of five nests being eradicated overnight was overshadowed by the announcement of the Storm Dragon Tempestra’s subjugation the following day.
Compared to the potential threats of local nests or the master of the abyss, Actor, Tempestra was a real catastrophe witnessed by most residents of Seoul.
Naturally, it garnered significant attention, including the profiles of the Awakened participating in the mission.
As a result, a crowd had gathered in front of the Management Bureau building.
In this changed world, Awakened individuals had become bigger stars than celebrities.
“Ah, you’re here.”
Navigating through the envious gazes, I arrived at the Management Bureau building, where an employee greeted me.
After checking my ID, she guided me inside.
“Nam Jooyeon, you’re assigned to Team 2. Please wait here.”
“Team 2?”
“Team 1 will directly confront Tempestra, while Team 2 supports them and deals with other disasters. There are Teams 3 and 4, but they won’t enter the nests.”
It seemed I had been given a significant role in the subjugation force.
“Can’t I just join Team 3 or 4?”
“A B-rank Awakened can’t slack off. It’s your duty.”
Duty again.
From national defense to this, why does this country love duties so much?
They haven’t done much for us anyway.
As I grumbled to myself, a man with short hair approached and offered a handshake.
Coincidentally, we were acquainted.
“Nam Jooyeon, long time no see.”
Jeon Dongwook had started using informal speech with me at some point.
“Somehow, I ended up as the leader of Team 2. Didn’t expect to see you here again. Anyway, let’s work well together.”
“Ah…”
He wasn’t someone I wanted to see.
Not since a Management Bureau employee was killed near my house by someone impersonating Actor.
“Why so tense? Nervous?”
Jeon Dongwook patted my back.
Behind him was Albert, the Wandering Knight, a 3-star disaster.
“Ah, this? I got it from synthesis. They say it’s stronger than the average 3-star disaster. Got lucky.”
“Impressive. Congratulations.”
“No, no, no need to flatter me.”
Albert, the Wandering Knight, was a rock-attribute named disaster, known for its exceptional performance among 3-star disasters.
“Seems like you’ve had some luck too.”
Jeon Dongwook gestured beside me.
Coincidentally, I had also summoned a disaster under the pretext of the Management Bureau’s power assessment.
[3★ Faded Specter Luciven is on guard.]
A sky-attribute 3-star disaster.
It was a spoil from the nest subjugation in the south by Selene the previous day.
As a named disaster, its performance was excellent.
Given that Tempestra was a sky-attribute disaster, Luciven’s ability to halve sky-attribute attacks was crucial.
“With a 3-star disaster, you might be classified as A-rank after this subjugation.”
“Hmm… I don’t particularly want to be A-rank.”
“What? Don’t you know A-rank Awakened gets monthly stipends? You’ve seen the refugees on the streets without ration cards, right? In this chaotic world, you need to secure your share.”
Fortunately, Jeon Dongwook didn’t seem to suspect my involvement in last night’s nest eradication.
After all, I was at home, busy with disaster synthesis.
Unlike Selene, the Charred Saintess, who could act independently and undertake long-range expeditions, no one currently possessed such high-level disasters.
“Anyway, Team 2’s role is simple. Support Team 1. Well, it’s called support, but we’ll likely have to face the dragon directly.”
Jeon Dongwook pointed to the Team 1 Awakened checking their members in the distance.
Their leader seemed to be Yoo Junseo, the Bureau Director, frequently seen in the news.
Beside him stood two 3-star disasters.
“That guy’s something else. He was a public service worker, but when things went south, he quickly gathered disasters and became a star. His personality’s terrible, though.”
Jeon Dongwook smiled wryly and placed a hand on my shoulder.
“Anyway, that’s the kind of people who exist. Those who adapt quickly to the new world and succeed. In a way, you’re part of that too, right? We’re the blessed ones. Other Awakened can’t even dream of becoming A-rank.”
“….”
Considering my past life, where my parents left me a small house as my only asset, and I struggled to find a job, my current treatment was indeed favorable.
The only problem was that the world had turned into this mess because I quit playing the game.
As I pondered this, Jeon Dongwook spoke up.
“…By the way, it’s unfortunate.”
“What’s unfortunate?”
“That our employee died near your house. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable, but it’s an unfortunate incident. We stationed someone there just in case. I hope you don’t take it the wrong way. Protecting Awakened is the Bureau’s duty.”
So, that employee was there to monitor me.
I nodded, maintaining a calm expression.
“It’s fine. I had no idea.”
Honestly, I had nothing to feel guilty about.
I hadn’t noticed the surveillance, and I had no direct involvement in the murder.
Jeon Dongwook observed my expression, then smiled and removed his hand from my shoulder.
“Anyway, we’ll soon face Tempestra. How do you feel? Think we can handle it? You’ve seen it up close.”
“Hmm.”
In Disaster Order, Tempestra is a versatile disaster with balanced attributes, attack power, and durability.
Stronger than the Hellfire Watch Dog, but the quality of Awakened has improved since the last subjugation.
“…With the military’s help, we might be able to subjugate it.”
“Really?”
Jeon Dongwook chuckled and shrugged, looking towards the west where the nest was.
“I hope so.”
Jeon Dongwook didn’t seem to think this subjugation would be easy.
And in that regard, I agreed.
The one controlling Tempestra was none other than the master of the tower that rose in Yeouido.
[5★ Mirien, the Storm of the North Sea, is watching you.]
“….”
Just like this message that appeared.
*
It was a memory from a distant past.
A fragment of a forgotten life.
‘Eat. The highest grade magic stone. Keep eating and prove your worthless value to me.’
The girl was an experiment.
Once the property of a mage who dreamed of defying heaven.
A disposable vessel used and discarded in the process.
‘You are my nourishment. That’s why you were born.’
Mages are notorious for not hesitating to use any means to achieve their goals.
In that sense, the mage who owned the girl was no different.
She was fed just enough to survive, consuming more magic stones than food.
Her heart, worthless as a vessel, was replaced with a magic stone, and her limbs were turned into crystal.
The girl was more of a doll than a human.
She had no reason to complain.
Born a slave to the mage, destined to be used as a vessel until death.
Yet, she ended up plunging a ceremonial dagger into her master’s heart for no particular reason.
‘Cough! You, you wench! How dare you betray me!’
It was a survival instinct.
The girl’s master, the mage, overlooked one fact.
Through repeated experiments, the girl had become closer to an omnipotent deity than a mere doll.
Imperfect beings naturally strive for perfection.
The girl killed her original master and inherited her name.
‘Mirien.’
From a nameless experiment to a mage named Mirien, the girl resolved to pursue omnipotence and perfection.
There was no motive.
Only survival instinct.
A natural manifestation of logic striving for perfection.
‘…I need a heart.’
Mirien first thought of extending her lifespan.
In her current state, she was on borrowed time.
Without a heart, she couldn’t live long.
A longer lifespan was necessary to pursue omnipotence and defy heaven.
Like her former master, she turned the continent into a wasteland.
She captured vessels from all over, using them as experiments.
To gather even a speck of mana, she killed every human in sight, using the collected specks as fuel.
It was around this time she earned the titles Storm of the North Sea and Mage of Defiance.
Mirien was a runaway colt, a natural disaster.
Over half the continent’s population was sacrificed for her lifespan.
As the killings continued, mana seeped into the magic stone in her chest, and Mirien felt satisfaction.
For an emotionless natural disaster, it was her only joy.
Yet, Mirien’s goal remained unfulfilled.
The heroes of the continent banded together to subjugate the ruthless mage.
‘Kill the witch!’
Mortally wounded by swords, Mirien jumped from the tower’s peak.
[Entering the rift.]
Mirien’s final gamble was to entrust her body to another dimension.
Arriving in a new dimension within the rift, the human-shaped monster gained a new emotion.
[The Rift’s ruler, ‘Actor,’ gifts 5★ Mirien, the Storm of the North Sea, with a 5☆ Beating Heart of the Moon.]
‘…Ah.’
The emotion of love.