On the second day after the eruption of the rift, while the world was in shock, South Korea was rapidly changing.
One notable point was that the existence of the Awakened had been officially recognized by the government.
[All Awakened are requested to visit their local administrative offices to register.]
[Awakened who do not voluntarily report may be punished under special laws.]
This message was sent to all citizens via emergency disaster alerts.
In an instant, the Awakened certification system was introduced.
The government, through a spokesperson, announced that it would manage the status and calamities of the Awakened.
Especially for Awakened in the military, their discharge dates were delayed by several years, leading to absurd situations.
“Is this even fair? Why the hell am I being screwed over in my final year?”
“This country really treats men like dogs.”
“LOL, good luck with that. I’m done with my reserve duty.”
“Can’t we just not report it? How would they even know? There must be Awakened among the cops. Awakened people can recognize each other, right?”
Some people complained about the unfairness, but the world had only changed a little over a month ago. People’s perceptions were still stuck in the old system.
Perhaps because of this, the Awakened, fearing the authorities, reported themselves en masse instead of resisting.
The government then selected those Awakened who showed exceptional growth potential.
Their goal was to deal with the most fearsome calamity nesting in Namsan.
“Will it be okay?” the soldier asked nervously.
“Don’t worry, man,” Yoo Junseo, an Awakened, reassured him, patting the soldier’s shoulder.
“If we capture a 4-star calamity, even the President won’t be able to say anything to us. In fact, our service period might even be shortened.”
“Really?”
“Look, that guy over there bowing to us is a 5th-grade civil servant. He’s way above us in rank, but now he’s bending over backwards for us. From now on, the world will revolve around the Awakened. We need to secure our place now. You get it? I’m going to be the head of the Awakened Management Bureau soon, and when that happens, I’ll take care of all the Awakened, including you…”
Yoo Junseo passionately explained to the soldier Awakened accompanying him.
Though it sounded like unrealistic daydreaming, the soldier couldn’t help but gulp as he saw the 2-star calamity, the Ember Fox, hovering around Yoo Junseo.
Yes, the world wasn’t the same anymore.
This Awakened could rise to the top.
“Hey, the Flame King is truly different.”
“Hey, don’t call me that.”
Despite his words, Yoo Junseo’s lips twitched with a smile.
With the 2-star calamity, the Ember Fox, by his side, he was already being called the Flame King.
The title came from the fox’s flame attributes.
Didn’t it feel great?
The label of being the strongest on the server.
Yoo Junseo, once an ordinary citizen, had become the representative of the Awakened overnight.
“Be careful. The dog’s territory starts from here.”
“I know.”
They were heading to Namsan.
Their goal was, of course, to deal with the Hellfire Guard Dog.
Soon, the group of Awakened spotted the Hellfire Guard Dog curled up and sleeping in the basin.
[4★ Hellfire Guard Dog is sleeping.]
“It’s definitely a 4-star.”
“It doesn’t look that strong.”
“No way. That bastard killed a thousand people during the last eruption.”
Yoo Junseo, being a cautious person by nature, signaled the soldier Awakened to stay back while he prepared to strike.
He had no intention of taking risks.
He planned to kill the sleeping Hellfire Guard Dog in one blow.
The soldiers summoned their calamities.
Leaf sprites and forest imps rushed out.
But perhaps they were too noisy.
[4★ Hellfire Guard Dog opens its eyes.]
[4★ Hellfire Guard Dog is watching you.]
“Shit! It’s awake!”
“Fire!”
Someone’s urgent voice was the signal.
Bullets were fired.
The Hellfire Guard Dog was riddled with bullets but only twisted its body as if tickled.
Then it roared.
[4★ Hellfire Guard Dog is enraged.]
Whoosh!
Its mane, resembling the sun, flared up.
The intense heat could be felt even from a distance.
“Send the calamities! Stop it from reaching us!”
At a soldier’s shout, the forest imps and leaf sprites led by the soldiers charged at the Hellfire Guard Dog.
But being plant-type, they stood no chance against the fire-type Hellfire Guard Dog.
The imps melted with a single breath, and the sprites were torn apart with a single kick.
“Ahhh!”
“Keep firing!”
Crash!
The Hellfire Guard Dog bit a soldier to death and then turned its blazing eyes toward Yoo Junseo.
“Shit! It’s too strong!”
Yoo Junseo gestured.
[2★ Ember Fox attacks.]
Before the Hellfire Guard Dog could charge, the two Ember Foxes bit its legs.
Being the same attribute, the damage was halved.
But all they could do was hold it down.
The baton was passed to Yoo Jun-seo.
No matter the sacrifice, he had to be the one to kill this calamity.
Not out of noble justice, but out of petty self-interest.
As Yoo Junseo prepared to thrust his weapon into the Hellfire Guard Dog’s wide-open mouth…
[2★ Ember Fox is terrified.]
[4★ Hellfire Guard Dog is terrified.]
Something appeared over the ridge.
It was something in the form of a woman.
A woman with a veil of flames and long ashen hair.
Even the Ember Foxes and the Hellfire Guard Dog were startled, stepping back and bowing their heads.
“…What, what is that?”
“An Awakened?”
“No, that can’t be. A calamity?”
“A calamity? A human-shaped calamity?”
“Damn, it must be strong!”
Yoo Junseo, who was closest, clearly saw the name above her head.
[5★ Charred Saintess Celeste]
A name known to the entire world.
One of the four great pillars that form this world.
The Charred Saintess Celeste had appeared here.
The flames she wielded didn’t just burn the surrounding area; they melted even the surviving forest imps and leaf sprites.
Flames of a different caliber.
The Ember Foxes were no match for her.
Soon, the Charred Saintess Celeste drew her sword toward the Hellfire Guard Dog.
Yoo Junseo, watching her, could see the information of the sword she held.
[5☆ Brand of Purgatory]
‘5-star? Even equipment? Why?’
Until now, wild calamities didn’t use equipment.
That meant someone was controlling this calamity.
Did they farm 5-star equipment in just ten days?
Even a 5-star calamity?
[5★ Charred Saintess Celeste scatters purgatory flames.]
A whirlwind of flames engulfed the Hellfire Guard Dog.
The Hellfire Guard Dog was consumed by the flames without even a scream, turning to ash.
That was the end.
[4★ Hellfire Guard Dog has been defeated.]
[Reward: 20Exp]
The experience was shared among Yoo Junseo and the soldiers nearby.
Then, Celeste’s gaze fell on the soldiers and Yoo Jun-seo.
“…Uh, uh.”
Yoo Jun-seo stumbled back and tripped over a rock.
Was he going to die like this?
But contrary to his expectations, Celeste, seemingly uninterested, turned and walked away.
Just as he sighed in relief, a portly civil servant who had been watching from a distance ran over and shouted.
“Hey, hey there, Awakened! May I ask your name?”
Awakened could recognize other Awakened or calamities.
But this desk-bound civil servant wasn’t an Awakened.
He mistook this great calamity for a mere Awakened.
A strong Awakened who could kill a Hellfire Guard Dog in one strike.
It was only natural to try to recruit her.
But she wasn’t an Awakened.
She was a calamity in human form.
“Hey! Stop! That woman is…”
Before Yoo Junseo could shout, Celeste turned her head.
Meeting her gaze, the civil servant forced a smile and said.
“I, I am from the Awakened Management Bureau. If it’s alright, could we go to a nearby café and talk…?”
“…”
“Haha. The Bureau is preparing facilities for Awakened. If you join the government… you could become a hero. We offer an annual salary of 500 million…”
“…”
“Ah, no, 1 billion!”
“Name your price!”
The civil servant’s voice trailed off.
Regaining his composure, he realized the woman before him wasn’t human.
What human would walk around in a tattered nun’s habit in broad daylight?
And what was with this chilling atmosphere?
“You.”
A voice filled with anger flowed out.
Though mixed with a hoarse tone, it was undoubtedly a beautiful voice.
“…Are you trying to force a contract on me?”
“Huh?”
“My master is the Lord of the Abyss, the Ruler of the Rift, Actor-nim. How could a single sword have two masters? That would be blasphemy, mocking both me and my master.”
“Uh…”
As the civil servant tried to force a smile…
Thud!
The Brand of Purgatory pierced his chest.
Blood gushed out like a fountain.
“This is your punishment. Do not reach out to me with your filthy hands again. My only master is Actor-nim. That is all.”
Celeste shook the blood off her sword and turned away.
Flames surged around her body.
Then, there was nothing.
No, there was one thing left.
The round body of the portly man.
“…”
The soldier Awakened and Yoo Junseo were too stunned to process what had just happened.
How long has it been?
Regaining his composure, Yoo Junseo recalled the words of the 5-star calamity, the Charred Saintess Celeste.
“…Actor?”
Yoo Junseo muttered.
This incident would be enough to keep the name “Actor” in the headlines for months to come.
*
[The Great Calamity Charred Saintess Celeste appears on Namsan!]
[The Ruler of the Rift, Actor, is he the mastermind behind this incident?]
[The government believes that the recent Hellfire Guard Dog massacre was the work of the Lord of the Abyss, Actor…]
[…]
“…I’m screwed.”
Overnight, I had become the world’s public enemy.
Not the Lord of the Abyss, but someone who had fallen into the abyss.