Chapter 118: Even the Absolute Being Is a First-Time Dad
Absolute One Is Also New to Fatherhood Episode 118
Beep, beep, beep—
A series of sharp mechanical alarms echoed through Area 51, the highly restricted military operations base located in Nevada, USA.
Researchers immediately rushed to the side of a woman whose life was being sustained by an array of massive machines.
"How long has it been since Memrem last opened her eyes?" the lead scientist asked.
A researcher flipping through documents answered, "It's been exactly one month since the last Calamity-grade Gate appeared in Shanghai's Lujiazui financial district."
The scientist muttered, "A month..." before staring grimly at the woman, her body tangled in tubes and wires.
"This isn't a welcome development..."
Though they were grateful for her prophecies—which had allowed them to minimize damage from impending disasters—her awakening could only mean one thing.
An unprecedented catastrophe was looming over the world once more.
Snap!
Memrem, the Saintess of Future Sight...
Had regained consciousness.
"A... divine revelation has come..."
The scientist licked his parched lips before cautiously asking, "C-Can you tell us?"
She had accurately predicted the Calamity-grade Gates in Shimane Prefecture, Japan, and Shanghai, China.
Not to mention...
The earlier disasters in India and the one that had erupted in the heart of Seoul, South Korea.
"The world's narrative has reached its starting point."
Her voice suddenly changed—unnerving, alien.
"Gi (起)..."
Silence fell.
"The one who bears that word will struggle alone against the coming calamities to guide this world to the next..."
Her voice trembled violently.
"But no one can guarantee that the world will reach the next word unscathed..."
Her vital signs spiked erratically.
"The variable in the coming disaster... is the lunar eclipse."
The scientist frowned. "Lunar eclipse?"
He recalled recent reports—media outlets had mentioned an upcoming eclipse occurring earlier than predicted.
"If the bearer of the word ignores the calamity because of the eclipse..."
Memrem's nose suddenly gushed blood.
"This dimension... will perish..."
Coughing violently, she spat up mouthfuls of blood before whispering weakly in her natural voice:
"E-Everyone must... pray..."
The scientist pressed, "Pray for what?"
She gasped, struggling to speak.
"A threat beyond anything we've faced... is coming..."
Her voice grew fainter.
"For some reason... the '■■■' protecting this world... hesitated in the future I glimpsed..."
"Memrem, the information is too fragmented. Can you elaborate?"
"Someone was persuading him... A little girl's plea shook his resolve, but..."
Her tone darkened.
"I couldn't see beyond that. Whenever an eclipse came... he never appeared."
She added weakly:
"Perhaps... this dimension's doom... has finally arrived..."
Suddenly, she convulsed violently.
Her eyes rolled back, showing only the whites.
Foamy blood spilled from her lips.
"Damn it—"
This was the precursor to her lapsing back into unconsciousness.
Then—
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
A shrill alarm blared incessantly.
"A Calamity-grade Gate emergence has been detected!"
Warning messages flashed across the massive monitors lining the walls of Area 51's underground facility.
"Location?"
The researchers' eyes locked onto the world map displayed on-screen—where a pulsing red dot marked the danger zone.
"South Korea—"
A heavy silence followed.
"No, more precisely..."
The nation that had collapsed after the first Gate phenomenon.
"North Korea."
The researcher's voice turned grave.
"And worse..."
His gaze fixed on the threat level displayed beside the Gate's coordinates.
"The projected danger level... is the highest ever recorded."
The scientist demanded urgently, "Estimated emergence time?"
The researcher answered in despair:
"At this rate..."
The room fell deathly silent.
"It will fully manifest... in two to three hours."
Just as Memrem had prophesied—
A disaster beyond all previous scales was about to strike.
Thud, thud.
Seo Do-cheol, Director of the Awakened and Gate Management Bureau, strode urgently down the hallway of the Seoul branch headquarters.
"Damn it..."
Thirty minutes ago, the Global Awakened Association had sent an emergency dispatch.
The moment he read it, he issued an immediate summons to all domestic S-rank Hunters.
Creak—
The conference room door opened.
"Thank you for gathering on such short notice."
Seo Do-cheol scanned the assembled Hunters—most of the nation's top-tier fighters had answered the call.
Time was short. He cut straight to the point.
"The Global Awakened Association has detected signs of a new Calamity-grade Gate."
The room turned ice-cold.
Jung Yoon-chan, Korea's top-ranked S-rank Hunter, spoke first.
"Where?"
Seo Do-cheol answered grimly:
"North Korea."
Then, correcting himself quietly:
"The ruins of North Korea."
He continued with difficulty.
"According to the Association's data... the projected threat level is the highest ever recorded."
The Hunters' faces darkened.
"Given its proximity to our borders, we cannot afford to ignore this."
If containment failed, South Korea would bear the brunt of the fallout.
"I must ask for your help."
The Hunters had no choice.
"We'll move out immediately."
Seo Do-cheol nodded.
"I'll do everything I can as well."
Then, with a heavy breath, he added:
"Lee Kang-jun."
All eyes turned to him.
"Once you depart, I will personally seek his assistance."
Time passed.
News broke.
The world erupted into chaos.
Yet...
One household remained quiet.
The darkened living room was lit only by the glow of the TV.
Pat, pat.
Kang-jun gently patted Seol's back as she slept in his arms, watching the breaking news.
- The Global Awakened Association has announced the emergence of a Calamity-grade Gate with unprecedented threat levels—
- Expected to fully manifest within hours—
- Located in the northern region of the Korean Peninsula, near what was once North Korea—
Kang-jun's gaze shifted to the darkened window.
"Why did it have to be during an eclipse...?"
Crabsley answered solemnly:
"If the gods and Lord Iriel command it, I shall act at once."
Iriel nodded in agreement.
"Master, perhaps you should rest at the imperial palace, as you did last Sabbath..."
Kang-jun sighed.
"Yeah, maybe."
Then—
Knock, knock.
Someone was at the door.
Crabsley moved to check the intercom.
"Who could it be at this hour...?"
The door opened to reveal Seo Do-cheol, bowing deeply.
"My sincerest apologies for the late visit. I am Seo Do-cheol, Director of Korea's Awakened Management Bureau."
Still bowing, he spoke with utmost deference.
"I've come to humbly request an audience with Lee Kang-jun-ssi—"
Kang-jun cut in sharply.
"Keep your voice down."
Seo Do-cheol's head snapped up.
"She just fell asleep."
His eyes fell on Seol, peacefully asleep in Kang-jun's arms. Nodding quickly, he whispered:
"You've heard the news, then..."
As he tried to continue—
"Can't do it."
Kang-jun's reply was firm.
"You're asking for help, right?"
"Y-Yes..."
"Today's not good."
Seo Do-cheol stammered, "But why—?"
"I don't go out during eclipses."
Seo Do-cheol froze.
Eclipse...
He recalled the report from the Association:
- According to Memrem, the Saintess of Future Sight, the lunar eclipse may be a critical variable—
Desperate, he pleaded:
"I-I know it's shameless to ask, but for the sake of peace—"
Kang-jun cut him off.
"I said no."
Then, after a pause:
"Maybe after sunrise."
Seo Do-cheol suddenly dropped to his knees.
"If we do nothing, most of the Hunters deployed will die! Our country could be devastated!"
The commotion stirred Seol awake.
"Daddy...?"
Rubbing her eyes sleepily, she blinked at Seo Do-cheol.
"Seol, why'd you wake up?"
She mumbled groggily:
"We... help people in trouble..."
"Hm?"
"Daddy said so... right?"
She looked up at Kang-jun.
"Daddy helps...?"
Kang-jun sighed.
"...Yeah, I do."
Seol yawned.
"Good... good daddy..."
Then, succumbing to sleep again, she nodded off.
Kang-jun scratched his head.
"Damn it... I hate eclipses."
He turned to Seo Do-cheol.
"You'd better thank my daughter."
Handing Seol to Iriel, he pulled his hood down firmly over his face.
Like a man trying—and failing—to hide from the world.