The Cult of the Actor
Click. Click.
"Wow, you've become the most famous person in South Korea. If we count overseas, your recognition might even surpass the president's."
"...Please stop."
"Oh my, even XTube's headquarters left a comment. They're offering you an official influencer badge?"
Kang Se-na clicked her tongue as she watched the video on the streaming site. It was no wonder—the reaction to the footage was explosive. The video, uploaded just last evening, had already racked up eighty million views. At this rate, it would hit a hundred million before the day was over. Considering the world had gone to hell, that was a record worth noting.
"So, Nam Juyeon, how does it feel to suddenly become a superstar?"
"Like I said, I don't feel anything special."
The video was barely a minute long—me summoning Tempestra and obliterating Incheon's nest. Its source was none other than Seo Ye-rin, the Awakened who had accompanied me. I'd assumed she was filming for personal records and reports, but she'd gone and uploaded it immediately. Thanks to that, every tabloid reporter had snatched up her footage and turned it into news, and foreign outlets had followed suit. If those articles needed headlines, they'd probably read something like this:
[Humanity's Hope, Korea's S-Class Awakened, Destroys the Nest in a Single Strike.]
The nationalist YouTubers must be going crazy.
My head was already starting to throb. I should've stopped Seo Ye-rin from filming in the first place.
Perhaps my thoughts showed on my face, because Kang Se-na powered off her laptop and spoke.
"Still, don't think too badly of Ye-rin. She can be a bit clumsy, but she's an innocent kid. She wouldn't have any ill intentions."
"Are you close with that Awakened named Seo Ye-rin?"
"Hmm... Well, we're both affiliated with the Awakened Management Bureau, we're both B-class, and we're the same gender. It's like female solidarity. Ah, but it's definitely not feminism or anything like that."
She quickly added the last part, as if she'd been burned before.
"Anyway, now that this video has spread, scouts from every country will be paying even more attention to you. Some will probably offer you billions. Especially China, with its vast territory and countless disasters—they'll try everything to recruit you, offering hundreds of billions, maybe even trillions."
"...Hmm."
Billions, huh. Before the world turned into Disaster Order, I might've been tempted. But the current world wasn't a place where you could freely indulge in luxury.
"What good is that kind of money if you can't even spend it?"
"Exactly."
Kang Se-na dismissed it curtly.
"The global economy is already collapsing. Banks are frozen, and the wealthy are all building bunkers. Physical assets will become the mainstream. Or perhaps the system's currency will become the new standard."
She deftly manipulated her status window and flicked several chips between her fingers. Those tiny chips were all experience points. Converting held experience into chips was a feature that hadn't existed in Disaster Order. It seemed to be a new function born from the game becoming a multiplayer title played by an unspecified number of people. Whoever was responsible for turning this world into a mess, their patch speed put most game companies to shame.
"Apparently, people are already trading daily necessities through these chips. There's even a new term—'livelihood Awakened.' Have you seen the articles?"
"I saw them, but is the demand really that high?"
"Well, experience points aren't just for strengthening bases. You can use them for equipment upgrades and all sorts of things. Plus, those items can apparently be used by non-Awakened as well. America has already declared they'll buy experience chips from Awakened to create a non-Awakened army. It won't match a single powerful disaster, but it's better than nothing, right?"
Listening to Kang Se-na, I truly felt it—the world was rapidly adapting to the new system. Even now, Awakened were steadily gathering disasters and growing stronger. It wouldn't be long before more S-class Awakened like me appeared. In fact, China supposedly already had one S-class Awakened by our standards.
"Anyway, Nam Juyeon, have you received your next assignment from the Bureau?"
"They just told me to protect Seoul during the next eruption."
"Yes. You're being assigned the role of Seoul's guardian deity. You'll use the Storm Dragon to completely block disaster approaches from the city center."
The next mission given to me after destroying Incheon's nest was preparing for the upcoming third eruption. It wasn't a difficult task, so there was no need to be particularly tense. The third eruption would likely be on a similar scale to the second. The only concern was the appearance of 4-star disasters during the previous two eruptions. The government seemed worried that another 4-star disaster might emerge this time.
Well, Selene said she talked things over with Mirien properly.
If Selene was telling the truth, Mirien would quietly guard her tower during this eruption. And Selene had no reason to lie to me.
"Are you still in contact with that Jo Geon-uk guy?"
While I was lost in thought, Kang Se-na suddenly spoke up.
"Jo Geon-uk? Well, we've had occasional contact since the Incheon nest subjugation a few days ago."
"...Hmm."
Kang Se-na's eyes narrowed. I wondered if I'd done something wrong.
"Nam Juyeon, listen carefully. I'm telling you this because we're still in a cooperative relationship."
"Yes."
"Stay away from Jo Geon-uk."
Her expression was more serious than I'd ever seen it.
"That man suspects you."
"...Well, I already knew that."
"Yes, of course. He did interrogate you last time. But don't let your guard down just because he's being friendly now. He's the one who ordered surveillance on you, and he's also the one who argued for turning you into an S-class Awakened to make you easier to manage."
"...Right."
After all, even when I'd been hiding in a hotel last time, Jo Geon-uk had searched nearly every lodging in Seoul to find me. It wasn't baseless obsession.
As I accepted this internally, Kang Se-na shrugged.
"Well, his obsession is famous. Once he gets a lead, he doesn't care what happens to himself—he just bites down and won't let go. An old colleague at the Bureau called him a mad dog and shook their head. Plus, for some reason, he's recently been investigating Actor."
"...A-Actor?"
The familiar name sent electricity shooting through my head. As I blinked, Kang Se-na explained.
"It seems Jo Geon-uk believes there's some connection between Actor and you. When I asked why, all I got was vague answers about 'intuition' or something, so who knows."
"..."
"Well, do you have any guesses?"
Of course I did. Because that Actor was me. And Jo Geon-uk had caught wind of it.
"...No. I don't."
But I shook my head, maintaining the best poker face I could. Kang Se-na didn't press further and turned her chair as she spoke.
"Anyway, just be careful. Honestly, since Jo Geon-uk is with the Bureau, we could restrain him if things got really serious, but there are plenty of other risks. Foreign scouts, the Actor I mentioned earlier... Ah, while we're on the subject, I should warn you—apparently the Lord of the Abyss, Actor, has begun full-scale activities, so watch out."
"Full-scale activities?"
"It hasn't been reported in the media yet, but the Awakened Management Bureau recently detected some strange movements."
Actor beginning activities? That sounded like nonsense. Actor was right here. Did it mean someone was impersonating me and causing trouble?
"Could you explain in more detail?"
"It's classified among the higher-ups at the Bureau, so I don't know much either, but... it seems like a new religious group has emerged."
"...A new... religious... group?"
"Yes. It's called the Ascension Sect. They apparently worship the Lord of the Abyss, Actor, as a living god and high priest."
"..."
It felt like being struck in the back of the head with a hammer. A splitting headache washed over me.
*
"Selene, are you there?"
The moment I arrived at the hotel room, I turned and spoke. The curtain slid down smoothly.
"Yes. My Lord, did you call for me?"
"Did you hear what we were talking about earlier?"
"...How could I dare eavesdrop on my Lord's important conversation?"
"You heard everything. About the new religious group that made Actor their high priest."
Selene exchanged glances with me for a moment before lowering her head.
"...Yes. It somehow reached my ears as well..."
She had definitely been listening. I had no intention of blaming her. Scolding her wouldn't change her behavior anyway.
"They're a group impersonating my name. Selene, what would you do?"
"They are false sheep who dare to usurp my Lord's name. I believe the natural order is to scatter hellfire upon them and send them where they belong."
"...Right. I figured as much."
Asking Selene would obviously yield the extreme answer of burning them all to death. But after hearing my conversation with Kang Se-na, I'd found a possibility of my own.
"I don't know why worshippers of me have appeared, but maybe it's better to let them operate as they are for now."
"...Why is that?"
"Jo Geon-uk is investigating the connection between Actor and me. It would be better to make it seem like we're completely separate individuals."
According to Kang Se-na's information, Jo Geon-uk was focusing on the relationship between me and Actor. I didn't know why he was so obsessed with me, but his existence would be a major obstacle to my future activities. Even if it was just to create confusion in the investigation, it would be better to leave the Ascension Sect or whatever it was alone.
"...However, we should still find out what those new religious group bastards are doing. They might be committing inhumane acts."
"If that's what you mean..."
"That's right. Selene, I need you to investigate."
Among the disasters I could currently command, the only one capable of independent action was the 5-star Scorched Saint, Selene.
"Yes. As my Lord commands, I shall investigate this Ascension Sect."
Selene bowed deeply, showing her intent to obey. But after a moment, she slightly raised her head and spoke.
"However, my Lord, I have one request."
"What is it?"
"On this expedition, may the Hellfire Watchdog accompany me as an attendant?"
"...The Hellfire Watchdog?"
This was the first time Selene had requested support. My expression hardened with suspicion, and Selene hurriedly shook her head as she explained.
"With that puppy, we can significantly reduce travel time. Moreover, in case of an unavoidable situation, it could be used as a messenger, could it not?"
"...Well, if you need it, Selene, you can take it."
I nodded. The Hellfire Watchdog was a valuable synthetic agent at our base, but even without it, I could simply order the Pale Wraith Luciven to perform the synthesis. What worried me was something else.
"You're not planning to cause some kind of accident, are you?"
"Of course not."
Selene smiled brightly and cut off my suspicion in one stroke. Of course, I didn't believe her for a second.