The Price of Awakening
Kang Mina was suspicious of Gakseonghoe.
The fact that Park Kangsu was avoiding the Hunter Administration Office, and that those who awakened through Gakseonghoe were refusing to register their status.
Putting all these pieces of information together, it was highly likely that Park Kangsu was one of two things.
Either a conman, or a businessman.
"I'd rather he be a businessman," I said. "At least that means it can be solved with money."
"Exactly," Kang Mina agreed, nodding.
"For now, since we can't verify the authenticity of his ability, we've notified all hunters affiliated with the Administration Office to be cautious of Gakseonghoe's Strengthening."
"I see."
"Just in case, Hunter Lee, you should also tell the Typhoon Guild hunters..."
"There's no one in the Typhoon Guild who would bother visiting Gakseonghoe, but I'll put out a notice just in case."
"Thank you. I'll share more details once we gather them."
We exchanged brief goodbyes and parted ways.
If Park Kangsu had partnered with the Administration Office, I would have been interested in trying out his strengthening ability myself.
But intentionally avoiding contact like this?
There's definitely something fishy going on.
I decided to contact Go Juhee first and tell her to make sure the Typhoon Guild didn't get tangled up with Gakseonghoe. But just as I pulled out my phone to make the call—
Screeech.
A black sedan suddenly pulled up and stopped right in front of me.
"...?"
As I stared in confusion, two men in suits got out of the car and approached me.
"Hunter Lee Taepyeong?" one of them asked.
"Who are you?"
"Ah, we are..."
The man smiled genially and pulled a business card from his breast pocket, handing it to me.
"We're from Gakseonghoe."
Gakseonghoe?
Looking at the card, the word "Gakseonghoe" was indeed printed on it, right next to a gold-foil logo shaped like a shining star.
"Hmm..."
I looked back and forth between the card and the man.
"I assume you already know about Gakseonghoe?" the man asked.
Of course I did. I even knew that their leader was running away from the Administration Office.
"I saw it on the news," I replied, giving a casual excuse.
"Then you must also know about Leader Park Kangsu."
Obviously. The guy's face had been plastered all over the news for the past two days.
"Yes."
When I nodded, the man's smile grew even wider.
He was clearly smiling, but why did it feel so incredibly creepy?
"Our Leader wishes to meet you, Hunter Lee Taepyeong."
An unexpected proposal came out of the man's mouth.
Park Kangsu? Wants to meet me?
"Why?" The question slipped out of my mouth before I could stop it.
"He said you are a special person, someone worthy of being chosen."
Chosen? Special?
Who the hell is he to judge me?
I silently toyed with the business card.
Park Kangsu, who was actively avoiding the Administration Office, wanted to meet me? What was his angle?
It's obvious.
Hunters like Choi Muryeong, Ban Haeyeong, and Han Sion were mostly affiliated with the Administration Office, so he couldn't easily approach them. Other high-ranking hunters were mostly part of large guilds. Since large guilds maintained close ties with the Administration Office, they would also be hard to access.
But in my case...
From an outsider's perspective, I wasn't with the Administration Office or a major guild. I was just a newbie who had recently entered the scene and started a "small" guild of my own.
He probably thought I was an easy target.
All that talk about being "chosen" or "special" was just sweet-talk.
"Perfect," I said, shrugging my shoulders. "I was actually getting curious about him myself."
Shall we go, then?
The black car slid to a halt in front of a building that looked like a church.
The man got out first and opened the back door for me.
"After you."
I followed the suited man inside the building.
When we opened the heavy doors carved with the image of the Babel Tower—
Flash!
A flood of light poured out.
"Whoa..." I clicked my tongue.
A domed ceiling. Marble pillars. Golden decorations everywhere, and the stained glass depicted the shining star logo from the business card, the Babel Tower, and a figure that looked like the cult leader.
They must have poured a ton of money into this...
The problem was that it only made it look tackier. It also had that creepy vibe unique to cults.
"...amen!"
"...whoaaa!"
The interior, where a service was already underway, looked more like a concert hall than a church.
A massive sculpture of a tower stood where a cross should be. In front of it was a stage, and on the stage stood a man in a white suit.
Park Kangsu...
And in front of him:
"Leader!"
"Long live the Leader!"
"We believe!"
"Whoaaa!"
Hundreds of followers were kneeling on the floor.
"..."
I hadn't expected a scene like this. At this point, it was downright terrifying.
"Everyone!" Park Kangsu shouted, spreading his arms wide.
"The Tower tests us!"
"Ahhh!"
"But we are the chosen ones!"
"Ohhh!"
He hadn't even said anything special, but the followers were already weeping tears of emotion.
"And the proof is right here!"
At Park Kangsu's words, a group of young-looking awakened individuals—former juvenile delinquents—walked onto the stage.
Park Kangsu handed them a microphone.
Receiving the microphone with a look of deep reverence, one of the young awakened cried out, "Before I met the Leader, I was trash!"
He was already a mess of tears and snot.
"But after meeting the Leader, I awakened through his blessing!"
Applause erupted from the crowd.
"If not for the Leader's guidance, I would never have survived the Tower!"
The atmosphere grew increasingly heated.
"When I faced a ratman, I heard the Leader's voice!"
That was a bit much.
"'Trust in me and kill it!'"
Oh, brother.
"And that's how I made it out alive!"
Good grief.
After the rest of the juvenile delinquents finished their testimonies, someone else stepped onto the stage.
It was Hunter Lee Gwangmin.
Seeing "Hunter" attached to his name, he must be an officially registered awakened.
"Before I met the Leader, my abilities had hit a wall," a solemn voice echoed through the hall.
"I was frustratingly stuck below the 10th floor, but the Leader reached out his hand to me."
"Ohhh!"
"Under the Leader's guidance, I successfully took a leap forward, and now I am preparing to conquer the 20th floor!"
The followers cheered and clapped like mad.
Laughing, crying, it was absolute chaos.
"We believe!"
"We believe!"
"Long live the Leader!"
As the stench of madness and fanaticism filled the air, Park Kangsu raised his hand and instantly calmed the crowd.
The air grew quiet.
Park Kangsu looked at the followers with a satisfied smile.
"Do you want blessings?"
"We do!"
"Do you want to become stronger?"
"We do!"
Every single one of them raised their arms and cheered.
Looking over the crowd, Park Kangsu pointed at a man.
"Thank you! Thank you!" the chosen follower cried, stepping forward to the stage.
"What is our brother's name?" Park Kangsu asked.
"Kim Sucheol!"
"Brother Kim Sucheol, are you ready to receive the blessing?"
"Yes, I am!" Kim Sucheol screamed at the top of his lungs.
"Very well."
Park Kangsu placed his hand on Kim Sucheol's forehead.
Instantly—
Zzzzt!
The air felt like it was warping.
And then—
Flash!
A bright light erupted from Kim Sucheol's body.
"Gasp!"
His eyes rolled back, and he began to shake violently.
Just as the church staff rushed forward to hold him down—
Swipe.
Park Kangsu raised a hand to stop them.
A moment later—
Crack!
Kim Sucheol's body began to swell.
His loose clothes tore open, and his scrawny limbs transformed into pure muscle.
...Is it a physical enhancement ability?
It was one of the most common and basic awakening abilities.
Even so...
At the very least, the awakening ability itself doesn't seem to be a lie.
Awakening without even entering the Tower?
"Whoaaa!"
The followers wept, clasping their hands together.
Looking at them, Park Kangsu shouted once more, "This is not the end, everyone!"
Park Kangsu grabbed Kim Sucheol's head.
And then—
Flash!
Another burst of light exploded.
Bulge!
Swell!
Kim Sucheol's body grew even thicker.
He was practically a bodybuilder now.
...This actually works?
Is this for real?
"Whoaaa!"
"Long live the Leader!"
"Long live the Leader!"
Park Kangsu smiled at the cheers of his followers.
"Everyone!"
"Ohhh!"
"Do you believe in me?"
"We believe!"
"Believe! Just like Brother Kim Sucheol here, I will make you powerful!"
"We believe! We believe!"
Cheers erupted.
"But!"
...
And silence fell.
"In order for me to make you strong!"
...
"And keep you safe!"
...
"What is required?!"
As Park Kangsu shouted, veins bulging in his neck, the followers answered in unison:
"Public values!"
"Public values!"
"Public values!"
...Public values?
Before I could even furrow my brows in confusion, "That is correct!" Park Kangsu's voice boomed.
"To bless you with my ability, public values are required!"
"Public values!"
"Do not hoard them!"
"Uwooo!"
"Awaken!"
"Awaken! Awaken! Awaken!"
"Strengthen!"
"Strengthen! Strengthen! Strengthen!"
"Once you do, you can earn far, far, far more public values!"
"We believe!"
"Long live the Leader!"
"Public values! Public values! Public values!"
As hundreds of followers screamed, the building felt like it was shaking.
Strum, strum~
And then the hymns began.
Our Leader who guides us~
Awaken, strengthen, and climb the Tower~
Repay his grace with public values~
Receive blessings and get rich~
Let's put our trust in the Leader~
"..."
This was insane. I was speechless.
He's just a cult leader...?
No wonder he's avoiding the Administration Office. Because he's a total cult!
However...
...The awakening and strengthening were real.
Yes. I knew it because I had seen it with my own eyes.
No matter how much of a cult leader Park Kangsu seemed, the awakening and strengthening he demonstrated were real.
Of course, the juvenile delinquents I saw today, the hunter challenging the 20th floor, and even the follower who was picked out to receive the "blessing"—none of them could be considered strong.
But real was real.
That was why hundreds of followers here were chanting the leader's name like that.
...The fact that it's real makes it even creepier.
Once the service ended, the followers swarmed forward.
What are they doing?
People were putting their hands into a golden, jar-like object and pulling them out. Every time they did, the jar flashed.
Is it some kind of item?
I looked closer. A plaque in front of the jar had words clearly engraved on it.
Public Value Offering Box
After all that talk about public values, it seemed the followers were offering their hard-earned points there.
Crazy. Absolutely crazy.
Do these people not know what public values are? There are so many things you can do with public values, and they're just handing them over like this?
I couldn't believe—
Tap.
It was then.
"Hahaha."
Along with a benevolent laugh, someone grabbed my shoulder.
"You're Hunter Lee Taepyeong, correct?"
The cult leader.
It was Park Kangsu.