Cheers for Angma
"Director Lee Chang-ho! Angma showed up?"
Park Chul-yong rushed breathlessly to the Jamsil Gate site.
He'd bolted over the moment he got word from Lee Chang-ho that Angma had provided a lightning-attribute weapon.
"Ah, President? You're here?"
"This isn't the time for casual greetings! Where's Angma?"
"It wasn't Angma herself. One of her subordinates—a woman—came by. She's already gone."
He'd come right after the call, but Angma's subordinate had already left.
"Did you track her?"
"Couldn't. She seems to have at least A-class stealth skills."
"What exactly happened?"
"Well..."
Lee Chang-ho explained the situation to Park Chul-yong.
The process of the woman claiming to be Angma's subordinate delivering the weapon.
Park Chul-yong was stunned after hearing everything.
"A woman with enough presence to overwhelm even an A-class hunter...? And you're saying that's just one of Angma's subordinates—not Angma herself?"
"Yeah. I nearly pissed myself."
"Good lord... Angma... What kind of being is she, exactly?"
The Jamsil Gate was one thing, but Angma's true nature intrigued him even more.
Hunter ranks worked a certain way.
A high awakening class rank didn't guarantee a high hunter rank.
Hunter ranks were comprehensive—factoring in skill grades, stats, achievements, and more.
Awakening classes, on the other hand, were set the moment you awakened.
Even awakening as an S-class didn't mean you started with S-class levels, unique skills, or stats.
Your unique skills had to grow, levels had to rise.
You gradually unlocked the class's full potential, and your hunter rank climbed accordingly.
"She's only cleared up to the 3rd floor... But then again, that explains the record-breaking score."
Yet Angma had shattered records right from the start.
A few possibilities came to mind.
"Maybe Angma's been awakened for quite a while now."
"Just grinding gates in secret all this time?"
"No way she could be this strong right after awakening."
First possibility: Angma had awakened long ago.
Stayed out of the Tower, secretly clearing gates to build strength.
"But without entering the Tower, you can't access status window functions..."
This hypothesis was unlikely.
Status windows were essential for gate clears and growth.
Most functions unlocked after conquering the 1st floor.
"Then maybe she started out insanely strong?"
Second: Born overwhelmingly powerful from the get-go.
This seemed more plausible than the first.
Starting strong.
But unprecedented.
"Both seem unlikely. What on earth is Angma...?"
Questions about Angma only bred more mysteries.
Nothing explained her with common sense.
"Or there's another possibility. About what Angma really is."
Lee Chang-ho ventured cautiously.
He might seem flippant, but he wasn't director for nothing.
"Speak."
"Like, maybe she's not human."
"...!"
Park Chul-yong's eyes widened at Lee Chang-ho's words.
Angma wasn't human to begin with?
"Not human? Then what?"
"No idea. A real demon or something. Just speculation."
"Demon...?"
A common topic on Korean awakener channels.
Angma's name sounding like "demon."
Theories that the cute, whimpering little devil was Angma's true form.
He'd dismissed it as nonsense from weirdos with odd tastes.
But hearing Lee Chang-ho say it, it didn't sound so impossible.
"A non-human awakening? Like a gate monster awakening?"
"Gate, Tower, or somewhere else—who knows? There are humanoid monsters, right?"
"Any historical precedent?"
"Of course not. But Angma herself is unprecedented."
Lee Chang-ho lit another cigarette.
Their talk had dragged on.
"Best not to upset Angma for now. Her subordinate was pissed when she came by. Talking about chopping off fingers."
"What?"
"Hunter Gallery—some internet community. Apparently full of Angma-bashing posts. That set her off."
Sudden mention of an anonymous forum.
Weird, but clear: Don't piss off Angma.
"Can you censor it?"
"Have to, even if we can't. People's fingers will get chopped off."
Censoring the internet over one awakener.
Infringed on free speech, but lives came first.
At least until Angma cooled off.
"And after the clear, we should hype up Angma's contributions nationwide."
"Why?"
"Caring about forum opinions means she probably loves praise. Giving us the hammer proves it. Nationwide cheers might win her favor."
Angma, sensitive to Hunter Gallery sentiment.
Upset over the bashing.
People like that love positive posts.
Park Chul-yong agreed wholeheartedly.
"Solid idea."
They needed good relations with Angma.
She wasn't swayed by money.
What she craved was acclaim.
If all Korea cheered for her?
She might stick around, moved by it.
Hype her up to keep her.
Plus, she'd provided the weapon out of pity for overworked hunters like Jeon Yu-i.
Maybe a good soul at heart.
"Director Lee, you're annoying sometimes, but damn good at your job."
"Just doing my part."
Hunter Management Division Director Lee Chang-ho.
Seemed lighthearted, but earned the spot through skill.
He excelled at handling hunters.
Hunter exodus had dropped since he took over.
"Let's start the raid. Team's ready."
"Right."
Jamsil Gate first.
With Angma's hammer, success was assured.
Then blast the news nationwide, praising Angma.
"Raid commencing."
"Phewww... Home at last..."
Jeon Yu-i finally checked out of the hospital.
Thanks to Angma, no more Jamsil Gate assignments for her.
"Interviews were the real killer..."
Instead, post-raid, she endured endless interviews.
Because Angma had mentioned her.
Word was Angma pitied overworked hunters and donated the weapon.
Reporters pegged that hunter as Jeon Yu-i.
Bombarding her with questions about knowing Angma.
"I don't know her..."
Of course, Jeon Yu-i had no clue about Angma's identity.
But even she figured the overworked hunter was herself.
"Did she give it because of me...? A super-rare weapon limited to five uses."
Thor's Hammer, delivered by Angma.
Five-use item.
But its power rivaled S-class.
Donating something so precious over her.
Sparked ridiculous rumors she had an Angma fan club.
"Who could she be...?"
Jeon Yu-i was curious too.
Wished she could meet her.
Say thanks for this.
Not that it was just for her, probably.
But she seemed nice.
"Pokopia time~"
Anyway, time for Pokopia.
Thanks to Angma, a nice break.
Jeon Yu-i vowed never to leave home.
Slipped into her fave animal pajamas, plopped in her chair.
Gamed Pokopia for hours till night, then switched games.
"Takippo's online. Duo time~"
Finally free to game, Jeon Yu-i was thrilled.
"Hweee..."
Days after the Jamsil Gate clear.
News about me still flooded nationwide.
Oddly excessive articles praising me.
This was straight-up Angma worship.
Such skeptical comments popped up amid the buzz.
The Association censored, but couldn't cover every portal site.
Positive comments dominated.
Korea suffered chronic high-rank hunter shortages.
Now an awakener topping Messiah's score was Korean.
Everyone chugged Korea pride like it was going out of style.
"Enough already..."
I wanted Korea to thrive as a Korean too.
But I was just a squishy little demon.
This was leagues beyond random forum posts.
News, papers—whole nation buzzing over me.
"Humans are praising Lucy-sama! They've finally come to their senses!"
"As expected of Lucy-sama! Conquering humans this fast!"
Asmodeus and Hagenti clapped like seals, clueless.
I'd bought them smartphones yesterday.
They'd spent all day on my news and forum posts, commenting away.
"Gotta lay low for a bit..."
Too much spotlight made me nervous.
This wasn't some gallery post.
Even climbing the 4th floor slowly now.
Updating rankings here? Korea pride overdose might flip the country upside down.
"Time to hit some gates then..."
Tower on hold, but work remained.
Gates were stealthy—no one would notice.
Plus, needed growth to stockpile magi.
Recovered magi so far: 90.
Hit 90 after 3rd floor and level-up.
10,000 more to 100.
Felt like 100 would unlock something.
Tower paused, so maybe dive gates myself for levels.
First gate: Asmodeus solo, no XP for me.
Hagenti gate: Glitch, no rewards.
Anyway, to level from gates, I had to join.
"Leave it to us, my lady. We'll escort you."
"Just trust this one!"
The confident demons.
Wondered what primordial demon powers awaited as magi recovered.
I fired up the gate radar, scanning for suitable targets.