The Identity of Unknown

The day Kim Hajun wrote a new chapter in the God Tree's history, the whole of South Korea erupted into chaos.

Every media outlet scrambled to report on the Hall of Fame rankings of the God Tree—updated for the first time in ten years.

That little word—Korea—etched right beside the number one spot.

The moment the citizens laid eyes on it, national pride came surging up from the deepest corners of their hearts for the first time in ages.

The world had long thirsted for a top-ranked powerhouse of its own. It was only natural for the public to erupt into such fervor.

Public opinion burned white-hot. But soon, a bucket of cold water came crashing down.

In other words: the Unknown at rank one was Chinese.

Needless to say, the Korean public was outraged the moment they heard it.

Did any of this make sense? Why on earth would a Chinese citizen travel all the way to Korea to complete the tutorial?

The embassy's story didn't add up from any angle, and Koreans showered it with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠scathing criticism. Most of the nation dismissed it as yet another lie from China.

Some believed the Chinese claim. No one could know the truth, and with every person interpreting things differently, it was only natural that a few came around to the embassy's story.

Having watched the whole spectacle unfold, I put on an expression of pure disbelief.

"Holy crap. Turns out I'm Chinese?"

Father, Mother—was your own flesh and blood Chinese all along?

Then from today onward, I shall devote myself day and night to learning Chinese—

"—is what I'd say if these people weren't absolutely insane!"

Ugh. My blood pressure just spiked out of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠nowhere.

"Look at him, he must be Chinese!"—seriously?

Who gave them the right to turn a native-born Korean into a Chinese national just because they felt like it?

This counts as defamation, right? I could sue for this, no?

"That nation is truly a strange one. Why would they tell a lie that is bound to be exposed sooner or later?"

Even Ellaon—a genuine foreigner in every sense—could not comprehend the Chinese embassy's behavior.

I let out a long sigh before answering.

"They've always been like that. It's not just that country either—the one next door is no better. Screwing each other over is just their daily routine."

China, insisting kimchi and hanbok were originally theirs. Japan, claiming Dokdo as its own territory.

And all of it came down to one simple fact: our country lacked power.

The conflicts had only deepened after the Sky Tower appeared and the Great Cataclysm began ravaging Earth.

Why?

'The absence of a powerhouse.'

Both Japan and China had each produced their own great ascender—a member of the Seven Ascenders. That was what bound them together in the S7.

S7 stood for Sky of 7—the seven nations that possessed at least one of the Seven Ascenders, those known as National Power Level Ascenders.

Korea, by contrast, had yet to produce an ascender who could stand shoulder to shoulder with the Seven. The nation's standing inevitably sank far below those two countries'—because in this era, the more powerful ascenders a nation held, the higher its rank.

"So that is why the depredations of those two nations have grown all the more brazen."

'Exactly.'

I nodded gravely at Ellaon's words.

Whew. Honestly, every time I saw a situation like this, it made my chest tight.

Is this what they call patriotism?

I just wish Korea could become one of the world's premier ascender nations too.

At my sigh, Ellaon manifested before me for the first time in a while, gazing at me steadily.

"Why trouble yourself over such trifles? Simply rise above those so-called Seven Ascenders yourself. Have all your proclamations of becoming the world's strongest been mere words?"

"Ah!"

Ellaon's words knocked the fog right out of my head.

Silly me. I'd awakened only recently, yet I kept thinking like a non-ascender.

Right—just as Ellaon said, all I had to do was climb above the Seven Ascenders. Simple as that.

Maybe the dream I'd had last night—of surpassing the Seven Ascenders and becoming the strongest ascender of the Sky Tower—hadn't been for nothing.

Come to think of it, could it have been a prophetic dream?

"All right. To hell with it—I'll turn this country into a Kim Hajun nation!"

My shoulders did feel a shade heavier now. But somehow, a pleasant smile crept onto my lips all the same.

"And just you wait. The moment I reveal my name, China is going to apologize to me. Properly."

Would that proud, high-nosed China ever bow its head to a country like Korea?

Impossible, for now. But as I grew stronger, China would have no choice but to lower its head.

Because this was an age where a single individual's power could surpass that of an entire nation.

Whatever way you sliced it, the conclusion was one and the same.

'I have to get stronger. As fast as possible.'

My will to grow blazed hotter and hotter.

"An excellent attitude indeed."

Ellaon crossed his arms and smiled with satisfaction.

Come to think of it, his gaze had definitely softened since the day we'd first met.

"Hrm. But we haven't time to dawdle, have we?"

"You're telling me to go level up now?"

"Precisely. Where is there room to rest at your current level? Off to the Tower with you, this instant!"

Called it. Knew that line was coming.

I smiled wryly at Ellaon's whip-cracking. Not that it mattered—I'd been about to head out even without his push.

"Though with a mana pool this tiny, I'm not sure soloing is even feasible."

The most common way for ascenders to level up was to conquer the countless dungeons scattered across each floor.

The 1st Floor was no exception—it was packed with dungeons, ranging from recommended level 1 all the way to level 10.

My power was so absurdly lopsided that I'd planned to tackle them solo, but there was a problem.

Could I really manage it alone, when a few casts of Thunderbolt drained my mana dry?

"If I were rich, I'd just chug mana potions and be done with it."

But even the lowest-grade mana potion cost several hundred thousand won a bottle. Embarrassing as it was to admit, that much money was a month's living expenses for me.

"As for that problem—somehow or other, reach level 5 first."

At that moment, my teacher, my benefactor, my very own lime-orange tree—Ellaon—spoke up in a low voice.

"Huh? Level 5?"

"Yes."

Why level 5?

"Upon reaching level 5, one of your perk skills will be unlocked. That should resolve your current predicament to a considerable degree."

Wait, what?

A perk skill unlocking at level 5?

Perk skills were skills that branched off from one's trait.

Skills like Sage's Aura and Sage's Sight, derived from my Sage (10-Star ★★★★★★★★★★) trait.

Anyone could see how crucial perk skills were to an ascender—they fundamentally determined the direction of your combat style and your entire path of growth.

Normally, an ascender received their first perk skill at the start, with new ones unlocking every ten levels thereafter.

'So why is mine at level 5?'

"Heh heh. Why do you suppose a 10-star trait is called 10-star? Your Sage trait unlocks a new perk skill every five levels."

"……!"

Whoa!

Is this for real?

Unbelievable.

Even now, my potential was already borderline broken. And on top of that, a new perk skill every five levels?

Just how far could I possibly go?

Being granted the Sage trait felt like a divine revelation—an order to climb to the summit of the Sky Tower, where no one had ever set foot.

"What kind of skill is it?"

"Where would the fun be if I told you now? Earn it yourself. Let it serve as a temporary remedy for your premature mana condition."

"Heh. Deal."

Well, well. Now leveling up was going to be even more satisfying.

All right—let's push to level 5 first, whatever it takes.

My motivation burning like a bonfire, I sprinted straight toward the Tower.

One of Korea's Five Great Clans—the Seolhwa Clan.

Seolhwa sat at the very bottom of the Five Great Clans' hierarchy. The reason was simple: its predecessor had begun as a merchant guild, a non-combat organization at that.

It had earned its place among the Five Great Clans through wealth, not martial might.

"We need powerhouses to elevate the honor of the Seolhwa Clan!"

Seolhwa had always thirsted for strength. Though publicly styled a prestigious clan, its inadequate combat power compared to the other four had long been a sore spot—a complex that festered.

And then, out of nowhere—

Had the heavens finally answered their prayers?

The second daughter of the Seolhwa Clan's leader had awakened an 8-star combat trait.

"Bwahahaha! That's my girl!"

Seolhwa intended to make her its flagship ascender, and she possessed every quality a star needed: pedigree, talent, and beauty.

Above all, her flower-in-full-bloom looks had drawn public attention even before she began climbing the Tower—people already called her the Ice Princess.

Then, on the very day of her sacred ritual, she'd rocketed into the top 100 of the God Tree's Hall of Fame.

Han Gain was truly a rising star brimming with stardom.

"Of all the days for such a monster to pop up—right when our young ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠lady was performing her sacred ritual. He swept away every ounce of spotlight that should have been hers."

"I know. What are the odds of such timing… Truly a shame."

Thanks to the record Hajun had set, things had turned deeply regrettable for the Seolhwa Clan. If not for him, yesterday's public sensation would have been Han Gain and her clan.

'I'm curious, though.'

But for Han Gain herself, curiosity outweighed disappointment.

'How did he break the number one record?'

She prided herself on having given the tutorial her absolute best. She just hadn't managed to cross the threshold into the top 100.

Her route planning, her mana allocation—everything had been flawless. And still she'd fallen short.

'Is his trait really as legendary as the rumors say? A 9-star?'

Probably. He clearly possessed a trait a tier above her own.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

That would explain how he'd surpassed even the Seven Ascenders' records.

But she didn't chalk it up to talent alone. He must have endured punishing, bone-grinding training since childhood.

That was how he'd claimed first place.

Somehow, she had the feeling that even now, somewhere, he was still grinding through that same brutal training.

'I won't lose.'

Just thinking of him made her itch with restlessness.

This was competitive spirit.

'I may be behind now, but nothing says it'll stay that way.'

Long or short, you only knew by pulling against each other.

She clenched her pale, slender hands into tight fists.

'Besides, he'll be starting from the level 1 dungeons too. If I keep running dungeons from here on… maybe I'll run into him?'

A faint, wistful hope bloomed in her heart—that if she kept conquering dungeons, fate might just cross her path with his.

At the very moment Han Gain was making her way to the 1st Floor of the Sky Tower—

"All right. Let's do this!"

Hajun, having reached the 1st Floor, sprinted straight toward the dungeons.

It was the start of a frantic grinding spree, all in pursuit of the level 5 Ellaon had promised.