Is This My Fault??
This is America, Washington D.C. At its heart stands a colossal building. Its gleaming exterior boasts such durability that not even an S-rank awakener striking it at full power could leave a scratch. This is the Awakener Management Bureau headquarters, a massive organization created to control the awakeners after the United States gained the most in the world. And right now...
A few people were gathered in the conference room on the top floor of that building.
Creak— The door opened, and a man walked in.
"What's this about."
It was Prometheus. All eyes in the room turned to him at once. But there was no respect or welcome in those gazes. If anything, they held a hint of irritation and fatigue.
And they had good reason. The man who had entered was Prometheus, after all.
"Something about Korea, right?" Prometheus kicked out a chair with his foot and plopped down. "I told you, I'm not interested unless it's U.S. business."
"Even so, I thought you should know about this, so I called you." The middle-aged man sitting across from him picked up a remote. The massive screen on the conference room wall flickered to life. A video began to play.
It showed a street near a department store in Korea. Chaos and screams echoed, flames roared into the sky. And then...
A woman appeared on screen. Prometheus's eyes narrowed slightly.
"..."
Faintly glowing wings on her back, a radiant halo behind her head. And a voice that rang out cold and clear.
"As the proxy of God."
Prometheus's eyebrow twitched.
"I shall personally reap thy pathetic, loathsome life."
Boom!! A massive lightning bolt struck the villain spewing flames, erasing him without a trace. A feat even Prometheus couldn't replicate. He possessed overwhelming physical prowess, but he'd never acquired such a wide-area skill.
The video continued to the aftermath of the lightning strike, then paused at the middle-aged man's gesture. The conference room fell silent. Prometheus just stared at the screen, chin in hand.
"..."
No one could guess what the strongest—and worst—awakener was thinking.
As he silently watched the beautiful woman on screen, the interpreter beside him translated the Korean dialogue.
"Pfft." Laughter burst from Prometheus. "Hahaha... what the hell is this."
The others in the room and the middle-aged man simply stared at him without reaction. Prometheus tilted his head, incredulous.
"Proxy of God?" His lip curled. "What a lunatic."
A few people nodded in agreement, chuckling lightly. Whether it was actually funny was beside the point—they were just going along.
Moments later, one person cleared their throat. "Ahem... that's not the important part."
With that, the video resumed. The woman glanced at the ruins around her, extended her hand, and intense light bloomed. It spread like mist, and the fallen people rose all at once. Wounds vanished, bleeding stopped, broken bones realigned. Not even a hint of dizziness. People drenched in blood suddenly springing up felt downright corpse-like.
A miraculous resurrection ability. The amusement faded from Prometheus's face.
"..."
With that final image of her spreading the light mist, she vanished in a burst of radiance. The video ended.
"That's..." someone murmured lowly.
"A healing ability."
"Wide-area, too..."
"Does that even make sense...?"
"Even a saintess couldn't do that much..."
Silence fell. Prometheus eyed the screen again. The woman with faint glowing wings on her back. His eyes narrowed.
"...So." He leaned back in his chair, sounding exasperated. "Why show me this?"
The middle-aged man sighed faintly. "A new S-rank awakener has appeared in Korea."
"..."
"The Korean Management Bureau is trying to cover it up, but you can't control the internet tide."
"We've compiled and analyzed videos and info from all over the web..."
"But it's not confirmed S-rank, is it..."
"If we don't call that S-rank, we'll be called blind..."
The room buzzed with chatter. Prometheus wondered why they'd even called him. But his lip was slowly curling upward.
"Ah."
Just from the lightning's power, he could tell. It scorched the ground but didn't destroy it completely. Yet the villain vanished without a trace. If this wasn't some fake play by the Korean government to hide it, and the real aftermath looked like that...
'This woman's on my level... or maybe even stronger.'
Feeling his own grin at the thought, Prometheus covered his mouth with one hand and muttered.
"This'll be fun."
Lately, something feels off.
Slurp— As usual, I'd ordered udon, brought it home, and was watching Mitube when the thought hit me.
My routine had gotten way too monotonous. Wake up around 10 a.m. to the alarm. Lie in bed for two hours scrolling Mitube or gaming on my phone until my stomach growls. Drag myself up, boil ramen or throw on clothes and order delivery. An hour later, stuff my face. Then park myself at the computer for games or roll around in bed. Evening hits, same as lunch—quick meal. Tumble around till dawn, sleep...
"Wait, isn't this the textbook total NEET life???"
I paused to think.
"...This is gonna ruin me for real."
I'm pretty young-looking. But all I do is eat, play, sleep. Nothing else.
"...Gotta do something."
I shot up from my seat. And three seconds later, flopped right back into bed.
"...Ah."
Lazy as hell. Someone once said you gotta move when you're too lazy to avoid regrets...
"Shit..."
Forcing my creaky body up. Gotta try something for real. Go for a walk, join a club, get a job at the Management Bureau. Living like this will turn me into a total loser. Sure, I don't gain weight, got plenty of money, no one to judge—but it's a mood thing. Gotta live like a human!!
'Maybe that's why I'm stuck in this rut—no people contact.'
With that conclusion, I showered, changed quick.
Damn, don't I look good in this? Clothes from the department store. Just wore what the staff picked as a set, but it feels like I chose them myself.
"Hehe..."
Mood lifted. No real plan, nothing I wanna do. It's around 1 p.m., Saturday. No one'll think it's weird wandering around.
'Just roam for now.'
Whatever, try anything. My body's ageless, weight doesn't change. Stuff myself or starve—no fat gain or loss.
"Come to think of it, vessel thing."
Maybe 'cause it's God's handmade vessel. Y'know, that trope? God's power only fits a perfect body. Maybe mine's designed that way.
Staring in the full-length mirror, I marveled at my cuteness again. Last time was the department store fitting room—posing here felt kinda embarrassing.
"Ahem. Time to go."
Anyway. Since I'm out, hit a cafe, chat up street folks, make it worthwhile.
Shaaa— Eyes closed, I felt warm light envelop me and let go.
"...Whew."
Moments later, I stood in a Seoul alley. Glanced around—empty. Slipped out to the street.
"...Whoa."
Weekend lunch rush? Crowds everywhere, overwhelming.
"Nah, like, private room karaoke??"
"What private room lol, fuck that, let's hit regular karaoke."
"Sure~ sis. Oh my god, it's been forever? For real? Yeah, I'll head there soon..."
"Iced? They discount two iced."
"Hm, I prefer hot over iced..."
"Just eat what I buy lol, you're gonna anyway..."
"Ahaha, true..."
.
.
Hoe~
Not just overwhelming—overwhelmed. Real-time chatter made moving impossible. Short as I am, couldn't see shit through the throng.
This ain't it. Not the 'walk' I imagined. Squeezed between bodies, not strolling—drifting.
"...Suffocating."
Spotted a cafe sign nearby. Looked chill inside through the glass.
'There.'
Dodging folks, reached the door, yanked it open.
Ding-a-ling— The bell chimed brightly.
And then.
"Welcome... uh."
"..."
"..."
"..."
The cafe went dead silent in an instant. I froze in shock. Conversations cut off mid-sentence. The counter staff. The college guy on his laptop by the window. The two women chatting at a table. All staring at me.
'Wha...?'
Why? Something wrong with me? Glanced down at my outfit.
...Clean. Hair messed? Brushed it.
...Fine. So why stare?
After a beat, the counter girl spoke first. "Uh. Welcome."
"...Yeah, thanks."
I nodded awkwardly, headed to the counter. Felt eyes the whole way.
'What the...'
Stares didn't stop. Getting creepy.
'Just... 'cause I'm too pretty.'
...Yeah. Gotta be. Self-conscious overkill? Whatever, had to convince myself or panic.
Self-settled, eyed the menu. "One iced Americano, please."
"Ah, yes! Got it!"
She fumbled the order. Turned—stares gone. Pretending not to look, but side-eyes lingered.
'For real.'
"Your drink... here's the pager. Come back when it buzzes."
"Ah, thanks..."
Awkward now, grabbed the pager, sat by the window. Pulled out my phone, fired up Mitube. Best play-pretend in moments like this.
Then.
Bzzzzt.
Unfamiliar vibration hummed through the air. Thought it was my pager. But I just ordered?
Iced Americano that fast? Vibration swelled.
Beep-beep-beep-beep—reeee—
Nearby phones blared alarms, not vibes.
"...?"
"Wh-what?"
"Alarm... huh? Right in downtown... no way?"
Amid panicked murmurs, the cafe's center air warped like ripples.
Hummm—
"...Huh?"
Someone yelped. Air split. Like Photoshopping space to distort—happening live.
"...Hic."
A scared gasp, and darkness seeped from the rift...
Rumble— A black, deep rift—flecked with blue and purple—tore open in seconds. Sharp screams pierced the air.
"G-Gate!!"
"A gate opened inside the cafe!!"
My eyes widened.
"...No way."
This... no freaking way.
'Dungeon gate?'
Of all places. Right in the cafe middle. The second I walked in...?