The fierce wind and rain lashed out.
I stood in a small square, facing the charred Saint Selene, who glared at me with her Hellfire Stake Sword planted firmly in the ground.
“We meet again, master of the Storm Dragon. Have you come to interfere with my lord once more?”
Selene’s voice was filled with hostility.
The crimson flames erupting from her Hellfire Stake Sword writhed like serpents, scattering embers around her.
The Storm Dragon, undeterred, spread its wings wide.
The torrential rain and occasional thunderclaps made it seem as if Tempestra was summoning the storm itself.
“Let him go.”
“I refuse. This man dared to harm my lord. He cannot be allowed to live.”
Selene’s voice was cold as ice, despite the flames surrounding her.
‘Damn, I feel like I’m about to piss myself.’
I finally understood why Yoo Junseo had fled when he encountered Selene during the tower raid.
The overwhelming fear.
Facing Selene with her weapon drawn made my legs tremble.
‘It’s just an act, but how can it feel this intimidating?’
That’s right.
Currently, Selene and I were performing a ridiculous third-rate play.
We had chosen a crowded square for the stage, and Selene had been flaunting her presence by spewing flames until the higher-ups from the Management Bureau arrived.
The hostage, Dongwook, Selene’s chilling warning of execution, my timely appearance, and even the sudden downpour from Mirien’s storm—all were part of the script and stage props.
The reason for putting on this elaborate performance was simple.
“Tell your master, Actor. If he kills that man, I will hunt you down and kill you.”
The hostage situation with Dongwook was meant to sever the relationship between Actor, the master of Abyss, and Nam Jooyeon, the S-rank Awakener.
At the same time, my warning through Selene would serve as a pretext to preemptively block any troublesome interference from the Management Bureau.
It was a clever move, but if anyone suspected even a little, it would be better not to have done it at all.
That’s why this performance had to be perfect.
And Selene was even better at acting than I had expected.
“A mere human dares to speak my lord’s name. You must not value your life. I will cut off your head and burn it in hellfire.”
Whoosh.
The flames surrounding Selene grew even more intense.
Though I felt no hostility, the scorching heat made me break out in a cold sweat.
I steadied my voice and shouted the lines I had prepared.
“Fine. No matter what Actor or you do, no matter what schemes you plot, I will crush you head-on!”
[4★ Storm Dragon Tempestra roars.]
As soon as I finished speaking, Tempestra let out a roar.
This dragon actor, not even human, had brilliantly captured the scene.
The crowd watching from a distance cheered and began chanting my name.
“…Indeed, among the rabble gathered here, you seem to be the most impressive. Your baseless confidence wasn’t unfounded, it seems.”
For some reason, Selene seemed to be enjoying this performance immensely.
The flames swirling around her like a cloak were more dynamic than usual. These flames seemed to reflect her emotions, and it appeared she was thoroughly enjoying this game of make-believe with me.
“Very well. Just this once, I will let your nonsense slide.”
Selene sheathed her sword and assumed a praying posture.
[5★ Charred Saint Selene cancels the focus of her skill 「Holy Flame Mark」.]
The Holy Flame Mark, Selene’s unique skill and identity.
The flames that had enveloped her body moments ago melted into the air and disappeared.
“But remember one thing. Actor is watching you. If you cross the line, it will mean your doom.”
“Where do you think you’re going!”
I commanded the Storm Dragon. Tempestra expanded its body and unleashed a Skyward Roar, but…
[5★ Charred Saint Selene activates the skill ‘Obsidian Veil’.]
Rumble.
By then, Selene and the hostage Dongwook had long vanished into thin air.
To be precise, they hadn’t disappeared.
The Obsidian Veil was a stealth skill, not a teleportation skill.
But what mattered was that the Charred Saint Selene was no longer visible to the audience.
“Wooooo! The Dragon King! The Dragon King has defeated the Charred Saint!”
Someone’s shout was followed by thunderous applause.
At that moment, I felt like a fantasy star on the field.
*
The situation was quickly resolved.
The Awakeners from the Management Bureau had been dispatched, and since everyone had witnessed the clash between me and Selene, the story spread quickly.
“If it weren’t for Nam Jooyeon, who knows what that calamity would have done.”
Kang Sena seemed genuinely moved as she said this.
“Ah, haha. I was going to handle it, but Jooyeon showed up and made it pointless. Anyway, what’s good is good. Oh, there’s a camera. Smile, smile.”
Yoo Junseo tried to get involved with me by making a scene in front of the camera.
But more important than such formalities was the last words Selene had left.
“If you cross the line, it will mean your doom.”
The final warning from the Charred Saint Selene was firmly etched in the minds of the Management Bureau’s Awakeners.
“Could it be… that Actor is warning us?”
Kang Sena examined the recording with a doubtful expression.
Selene’s acting was nothing short of method acting.
Just hearing her voice in the video sent shivers down my spine.
“…It seems like a warning.”
I agreed.
Kang Sena nodded in agreement as well.
Ever since rescuing Seo Yerin, she had been unconditionally supportive of my opinions.
I continued, riding on this momentum.
“…If the Management Bureau continues to track Actor’s movements, that calamity will reappear. Seoul will suffer catastrophic damage.”
“…I see.”
Yoo Junseo’s expression visibly darkened.
In my eyes, he seemed more concerned about the negative impact this incident would have on his reputation.
In reality, it wasn’t much different.
“Nam Jooyeon, what should we do? If this gets reported in the media, the Management Bureau will be ridiculed as a bunch of amateurs being led around by a single calamity… We’re already getting a lot of hate comments, and if that increases…”
Kang Sena’s eyes narrowed.
It’s easy to understand what kind of person he is.
Anyway, Yoo Junseo’s materialistic nature served as a good excuse in this situation.
“Leave it to me. If Actor makes any moves, I will stop him.”
As I spoke, the eyes of Yoo Junseo and the other A-rank Awakeners from the Management Bureau narrowed.
“Can you do it alone? I mean… it’s not that I doubt your abilities, but…”
“Yes. It’s fine. You saw it just now. That woman doesn’t want to fight me.”
Selene had fled, seemingly reluctant to fight me.
This was part of the script, but everyone had witnessed it.
Using that scene as evidence, no one could object.
Moreover, Yoo Junseo, the head of the Management Bureau, was a materialist to the core.
He would never take on dangerous tasks.
Especially after the experience at the Reverse Heaven Tower.
“G-good! If an S-rank Awakener says they will protect Seoul, we can’t stop them. Right, Kang Sena?”
“…Yes, that’s right.”
Kang Sena sighed and looked at me.
Her eyes were asking, ‘Are you really okay with this?’
I shrugged my shoulders in response.
[5★ Charred Saint Selene is watching you.]
Whether it was okay or not, things were going too smoothly, and that was the problem.
*
“Indeed, I cannot help but admire my lord’s foresight.”
As soon as we returned to the tower, Selene bowed her head deeply and praised me.
The woman who had been a cold-blooded demon moments ago had now become a loyal servant.
However, every time I saw Selene, I couldn’t help but recall the murderous intent she had shown during the act.
If I made a mistake and her blade turned towards my heart…
‘Focus.’
I shook my head to dispel the terrifying thought.
After all, I am currently Actor, the ruler of the rift who commands calamities.
I will not be swallowed by these creatures.
“The plan went well. The investigators from the Management Bureau won’t pursue Actor anymore. Instead, they’ll think of me as Actor’s rival.”
In fact, the reason for planning this performance was because of Dongwook’s existence.
Currently, Dongwook is a burden.
It’s strange to keep him locked up in the tower since his identity is known.
But killing him with my own hands goes against my conscience as a human.
So, I came up with a plan.
At first, I thought of using Mirien’s mind control skill to use him as a puppet.
However, mind control is a concentration-based skill.
Maintaining it continuously would be a huge burden for both Mirien and me.
Mirien had said it herself.
To maintain the skill for a day, she would need to consume nearly five calamities.
Using Mirien, the calamity-eating hippo, required an enormous price.
After much deliberation, I came up with the idea of a staged hostage situation after hearing Yoo Junseo’s words.
The effect of using Dongwook as a stage prop for the hostage situation was, as you can see, excellent.
[Actor, the master of Abyss, dreams of the end of the world.]
News pages were filled with reports about Actor every day.
The content was so abstract that it felt like reading a third-rate fantasy novel.
Or perhaps the apocalyptic ramblings of a schizophrenic.
[S-rank Awakener Nam Jooyeon, “I will crush Actor.”]
There were even articles like this.
The reactions in the comments were fervent.
To the point where I didn’t want to read them.
“It’s embarrassing, really.”
“These insignificant beings could never comprehend my lord’s greatness.”
Selene smiled warmly as she scanned the text on the phone screen.
“…Anyway, from now on, I can move around more freely under the pretext of tracking Dongwook.”
“It is all thanks to my lord’s grace.”
“…Yeah, right.”
Putting aside Selene’s worship, I had already received assurances from Yoo Junseo that the Management Bureau would not interfere with my actions.
I could now search for other calamities without the nuisance of others’ interference.
All the groundwork had been laid.
Now, all that remained was…
“Actor!”
The results.
About three days later, Mirien, who had been using a tracking spell on the top floor, came running to me with a joyful expression, almost hugging me.
“Actor, I found her! Karne! I found out where that bitch is!”
“Good job. Well done.”
After spending weeks with Mirien every day, I had become accustomed to handling her.
I skillfully pulled her close and stroked her deep blue hair.
She looked up at me with a wide smile.
I gently rubbed under her chin.
Clearly treating her like a pet.
“…Hehe.”
Mirien buried her face in my chest.
[5★ Charred Saint Selene is watching you.]
“…Hmm.”
A burning heat approached my face.
I turned my head to see the Charred Saint Selene, arms crossed, glaring at Mirien with narrowed eyes.
Not much different from the menacing expression she had shown during the act a few days ago.
“…Hey, Selene. You’re not mad, are you?”
“My lord. But I never get angry.”
That was clearly a lie.