The Emperor's New Resolve

The old streetlamp flickered with a buzzing hum, casting the alleyway in a sickly yellow glow. A chilling wave of mana radiated from Choi Gangcheol, who stood at the entrance of the dojo. The paper bag of red bean buns in his hand seemed utterly insignificant compared to the razor-sharp intensity in his eyes, which pierced through the iron door of Jungshim Taekwondo like a blade.

"Hey, Butt-man. And Lee Chaeyeon."

"Yes...?" Chaeyeon and I answered in slightly tense voices.

"You two aren't seriously thinking about going in there, are you?"

Gangcheol's low, gravelly tone made us both freeze mid-step.

"Huh? Oh, Senior. Weren't you supposed to have gone home? What are you doing here?"

"Shh. Keep your voice down. The mana reaction I'm sensing from inside... this is no joke."

...Wait, what? Was Gangcheol senior actually on guard because of—

"At the very least, it's an S-class residue. Or something even stronger lying in wait."

His expression was dead serious, completely unlike his usual demeanor. But the moment Chaeyeon and I heard those words, we looked at each other and burst out laughing at the same time, as if we'd planned it.

"Pfft! Senior, it's fine."

"Senior, calm down. That's my dad's mana you're feeling."

Chaeyeon wiped the tears that had formed from laughing so hard.

"Looks like he's working out inside right now."

Gangcheol's face instantly went blank.

"What? That heavy mana is from your dad?"

Leaving his doubts behind, I threw the dojo door wide open. With a long creak, the door swung open, releasing a rush of heat. There was Lee Cheolsu, lightly throwing punches on the training mat. He turned toward the door while wiping away sweat.

"Oh, Gangjin? And Chaeyeon too..."

His gaze landed on Gangcheol, who stood behind me.

"Wait... you!"

The usually unflappable man's eyes widened like saucers. Gangcheol, who had frozen like a stone statue, suddenly dropped the bag of buns and let out a sharp cry.

"Wha—?! Uncle Cheolsu?!"

"You little rascal, Choi Gangcheol! Is that really you? Wow, you've grown so much!"

The normally laid-back and shameless Gangcheol senior dashed toward Uncle like a child who had finally found his lost father.

"Whoa, look at you! Your body's gotten huge. How hard have you been training?"

"Haha, I'm not the same weak kid I used to be."

Uncle Cheolsu laughed heartily as he clapped Gangcheol on the shoulder with enough force to break bones. Chaeyeon and I could only stand there with our mouths hanging open, watching this bizarre reunion unfold.

"Uncle, you suddenly disappeared without a word... Do you have any idea how long I looked for you?"

"Heh heh, I wanted to live quietly. But to think you ended up being the student council senior for my daughter Chaeyeon..."

Lee Cheolsu gave Gangcheol a warm smile.

"Fate really is a strange thing."

Uncle draped a towel around his neck and had us all sit on the floor. Then, from deep within their hearts, the story from two years ago began to unfold.

It happened ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠back when Choi Gangcheol senior had just become a first-year in high school. At the time, Uncle Lee Cheolsu was a legendary field agent working as a national operative, hunting down residues to protect civilians.

One rainy evening, Uncle found Gangcheol senior crouched and crying alone beneath the slide at the neighborhood playground. Unlike the confident and lazy person he was now, back then Gangcheol had been a scrawny, frail boy consumed by distrust of others and crushing self-loathing.

The incident occurred on the day of his first practical awakening exam. Having entered a prestigious high school in another district with the title of S-class awakener, he had been the center of everyone's expectations. But his awakening ability was both a blessing and a cruel curse.

Hundreds of students and teachers had gathered on the school field that day to witness the majesty of an S-class awakener. Gangcheol stood on the training ground with grim determination.

"Student Gangcheol, please release your mana."

At the supervisor's words, Gangcheol hesitated slightly.

"I just... have to use my ability, right...?"

The supervisor nodded with a bored expression. To activate his power, Gangcheol began stripping off his clothes one by one in front of everyone. His school jacket fell, his shirt flew off, and when his pants finally hit the ground...

The entire school's expectations instantly turned into shock and ridicule.

"Whoa, what the hell? He's seriously fighting in just his underwear?"

"Puhahaha! They said his ability was called 'The Emperor's New Clothes' but he's actually a pervert!"

"S-class my ass. He's just an exhibitionist. This is gross."

For a boy going through puberty, the laughter and pointing fingers from hundreds of people were more devastating than any physical blow. Though his power was overwhelming, from that day on, labels like 'pervert' and 'Panties King' followed him everywhere.

The malicious bullying and whispers continued every single day. Obscene graffiti appeared on ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠his desk, and every time he went to the bathroom, kids would mock him and demand he strip. He was constantly pelted with milk in the hallways, and some seniors would suddenly yank his pants down. The frail, skinny Gangcheol of that time couldn't fight back. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠He endured the torment day after day until he finally refused to go to school.

'Do I really have to live the rest of my life with this humiliating, embarrassing ability...?'

Tormented by hallucinations of the whole world laughing at him, he sat in the corner of the playground wishing he could just die.

'It might be better to die than to keep being everyone's laughingstock.'

That was when Uncle appeared.

Uncle roughly wrapped his arm around the rain-soaked boy's shoulders and said,

"You're still so young. What are you doing wandering around out here?"

Choi Gangcheol, a first-year who desperately wanted comfort from anyone, poured out his entire story to this stranger as if clutching at a lifeline. He was sure that once Uncle heard about his ability, he would laugh at him too.

"Kid, what's the big deal about taking off your clothes?"

But Lee Cheolsu didn't laugh.

"Your ability isn't a shameful flaw. It's the strongest shield you have to protect the people you love."

This man he'd never met before said the words Gangcheol had needed to hear his entire short life.

"The naked conviction you wear is far more valuable than the awkward, tacky silk clothes everyone else puts on."

And those were exactly the words Gangcheol had wanted to hear most.

"Don't be ashamed of your power."

That single gruff encouragement rebuilt the boy's shattered world. With his mental state restored under Uncle's guidance, Gangcheol decided to transfer schools. He resolved to start fresh at a new place.

After finishing the transfer paperwork, he looked at his scrawny body. It was pathetic. He gritted his teeth and trained. He trained with everything he had so that no one would ever look down on him again.

On his first day transferring to Gaon High School, he didn't hide or run away like before. During self-introductions, with a trembling heart, he stood beside the homeroom teacher.

"My name is Choi Gangcheol."

Trauma momentarily held him back, but because he had decided not to be weak anymore, he chose to reveal his hand first in front of the entire class.

"My ability is 'The Emperor's New Clothes.' To use it at full power, I have to take off all my clothes."

A brief silence fell over the classroom.

"It might seem weird, but I've decided not to be ashamed of this ability anymore."

He had mentally prepared himself to endure even if his classmates mocked him.

"If you're going to laugh, go ahead and laugh now."

But the response he received was completely unexpected.

"Whoa, for real? Like those transformation scenes in movies? That's so cool!"

"Telling us about your limitation so honestly? You're a real man!"

The students of Gaon High applauded the essence of 'Emperor' rather than getting hung up on the provocative word 'naked.' For the first time in his life, surrounded by praise and encouragement, Gangcheol felt a sense of belonging.

Jang Taehong, a first-year on the student council at the time, approached him during break and spoke highly of that courage.

"Hey, want to join the student council with me?"

That was how, following Taehong, Gangcheol rose to the legendary position of Student Council Joker.

After finishing his story, Gangcheol senior rubbed the tip of his nose in embarrassment and bowed his head to Uncle.

"If it weren't for you, Uncle, I probably would've become a complete wreck by now. Or ended up as food for some residue."

It was clear that Lee Cheolsu was an incredibly important benefactor to Gangcheol senior.

"Thank you. I really mean it."

"Heh heh, you were the one who overcame it all, kid."

Uncle waved his hand modestly.

"This Gangjin kid seems to be struggling with similar worries. As his senior, guide him well, alright?"

Uncle's gaze settled on me. A shiver ran through my chest. Gangcheol senior's past was so similar to my own situation.

'Whether it's an emperor who fights in his underwear or me pulling mana out of my butt...'

To be honest, I'd been incredibly ashamed that my awakening area was my butt. It wasn't a cool hand or eye like everyone else. The fact that my power came from the most private place had made me resentful. But after hearing Gangcheol senior's story, my perspective changed.

Just as he revealed the true majesty of an 'Emperor' when he cast off his clothes, I realized that only when I stopped being ashamed of my butt and fully trusted its power would I truly become a complete S-class awakener.

"Hey, Butt-man. What are you spacing out for?"

Gangcheol senior dusted off the fallen bread bag and held it out with a grin.

"You too. Don't doubt the power your body gives you, or Jinny."

He patted my shoulder with a smile full of trust.

"Whether it's a butt or a toe, it doesn't matter. There's nothing stronger than mana that has overcome shame."

I nodded vigorously, having received his will.

"Whoops, it's already this late."

An alarm rang from Gangcheol senior's smartwatch.

"I'll come visit often, Uncle."

"Sure. Come by anytime."

After saying goodbye to Lee Cheolsu, Gangcheol senior left the dojo.

"Alright then. Time to do today's training, right?"

Uncle Cheolsu looked at Chaeyeon and me with a big grin, clenching his fists tightly. Under Lee Cheolsu's guidance, Chaeyeon and I began our training for the day.

"I'm home."

"Son, welcome back!"

After finishing that hellish training at the dojo, I staggered into the house like a newborn calf, as usual. The moment I entered my room, I dropped my bag and started stripping off my clothes.

"Ugh, I'm so gross."

Today's training ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had been particularly brutal, and my legs were still shaking. I'd sweated so much that I'd promised myself I'd take a bath the second I got home. I filled the tub with warm water and sank into it. It felt like all the fatigue of the day was being washed away cleanly.

Jinny, the spirit inside my butt, called out as if she wanted to come out.

"Perfect timing. I actually had something I wanted to ask you."

Lying in the tub, I rubbed my butt to summon her. A refreshing minty scent filled the air, and with a pop, Jinny appeared.

"Ugh, that Plague Doctor or whatever really drained me all day."

Jinny stretched as if she'd just woken up.

"So, what did you want to ask?"

Controlling the S-class mana in my butt was important, but more than anything, I needed a complete understanding of 'Jinny,' the spirit residing in my body.

"Can I make my first wish?"